Kan Yume
by Kyo-K40-Sohma
Summary: [SequelAikyou]The sweetdreams that people have in life can help them progress.Except,when those sweet dreams are only pleasent to those not dreaming.The life of hatred continues on within the Sohma family.How many sweetdreams can 1 have before perishing?
1. Kyo's New Fate

**Chapter 1: Kyo's New Fate**

* * *

**I'm back! And it only took me a day to come back! WOOT! Here is the long awaited Sequel to Aikyou. I've been getting asked to type a sequel since like chapter 17 I think. I can't believe people were thinking so far ahead. I welcome back my faithful reviewers. I pray that 'Kan Yume' is as successful as 'Aikyou'. PLEASE R&R, lol.**

**Disclaimer: Believe it or not…I still don't own Furuba. Go figure…

* * *

**

Kyo stares at Akito in confusion. He looks at Yuki carefully and wonders what had made him speak up. Did it have something to do with what he had made him promise? _Kyo …promise me, that after this fight…you let me get a sentence in…_ Yuki had spoken so calmly as he had said this before their fight. But, if it was so important then it should have been said before the match even began.

Suddenly, Shigure, Hatori, and Kureno come outside after noticing that the four of them had escaped from the building (that included Akito). Sighing, Shigure approaches Akito and whispers something into her ear.

"You said you were going to tell him!" She swings her open hand around and nails Shigure in the side of the face. He stumbles backward and hits the wall, falling to the ground in a sitting position now. Akito diligently glares at Kyo and then a small smirk crept onto her angry face. "Kyo…are you aware that your curse was almost broken?" She asks trying to sound as nice as she possibly could. Both Tohru and Kyo stood, staring at Akito dumbfounded. Then, Tohru began to remember the time when she was locked up in that cold, icy dungeon-like room. Shivering a little, she looks at the ground. "Your love for each other was destroying it!" Akito roars viciously. Tohru takes a step back and hides behind Kyo in a fear. "Obviously, during the time of Kyo's recent training, that love had diminished. Even without that matter, I am still going to lock Kyo up in the room that was meant for him. Imagine what would have happened if that wench had broken your curse? You'd be free! But instead you left for a month to get training from Kazuma-dono!" A great deal of laughter erupts from Akito.

Kyo looks at her in shock now. Could he actually believe everything Akito was saying? Was it his fault that his curse was still upon him? If only he had stayed with her instead of going on his little trip for extra training. Then, it sprang at his mind, clawing roughly at his thoughts. He looks up towards Akito now, a large smile on his face. "You can't lock me up Akito!" Kyo exclaims sounding extremely proud. Everyone looks at him -including Yuki- as if they were lost. "I beat Yuki! I beat him! Just like you said I couldn't! But I did and you can't lock me up! It was part of our bargain! It isn't allowed Akito!" He shot, taking a stomp forward, but it was only an intimidating step.

Looking at him in a little fear she groans. "Well then…I guess you've proven a point." Akito lets out a deep sigh and puts her hands at her hips, gazing at the ground. "I failed to trick you into thinking you had lost everything. But it…didn't work?" Her tone of voice began to make everything even more confusing.

Tohru smiles happily and hugs Kyo's right arm from behind. She peaks passed his arm at Akito who's defeated expression made her feel even more elated. Then, a change in her face occurred. "Why does Akito-san not look sad any more Kyo-kun?" She asks becoming more and more curious by the second. Kyo shook his head not being able to answer the question she had asked. If there was any good time to be inquisitive, it was now. No one knew what was going through Akito's mind except for Yuki and Shigure. Sadness had befallen their faces.

"Don't say it Akito! Please! Don't let what you told me that night be true!" Yuki shouts this loudly, dropping to his knees, staring at the ground as he pounded his fist into it, a few bones vociferously cracking. He lets out a soft yelp and a tear dripped. "It'll hurt Honda-san! Don't say it Akito…. please…. don't say it…" he sounded as if he were begging her to keep her mouth shut. Right now, he was the person nearest to Akito and that is a bad thing to be.

Slowly making her way towards Yuki, Akito kneels down and lifts Yuki's head up with her index finger so that they met eye-to-eye. "Are you giving me orders?" She questions quietly, "Are you commanding me to not say anything?" Akito continued on, all her fingers on his face now, nails digging into his skin.

"I'm…begging you…. don't tell them what you told me and Shigure." He bows his head gently. Her fingernails were now digging gently into his neck. She drops her hand from his neck and grins, standing up quickly.

She staggers for a moment a give Kyo a grin. "You thought that you outsmarted me. You brought up the fact that you had just beaten Yuki. YOU EVEN HAD THE AUDACITY TO REMIND ME OF OUR DEAL!" Akito exclaims angrily, kicking Yuki to the side. He skids across the ground on his arms and yells in pain. "But, you… yourself, have forgotten the actual deal…" She whispers knowingly as she approaches both Kyo and Tohru. Instantly, she catches a glimpse of Tohru and glares harshly. "Recite…our deal Kyo," orders Akito, her voice as clear as ever.

Kyo opens his mouth to speak and then stops himself. He quickly begins once again. "I said that if I could beat Yuki before graduation then I can become a member of the Juunishi and not be locked away. But if I didn't I'd have to live the rest of my life in that hell hole of a room…" His voice trails off as he remembers what being alone in a room without anyone around feels like. "I beat him…. so… I don't have to be locked up…you're changing it around aren't you!" He exclaims loudly now, trying to catch Akito within her own tricks.

Hysteria overcame Akito as she wraps her arms around her stomach and laughs heartily. "Ah…you are sure funny for a monster…" The words came out as harshly as she could say them. "Why don't you ask Yuki, or even Shigure, what I told them over two and a half months ago? I bet Yuki's been trying to tell you for the longest time… and then you disappear to Kazuma's home." Her voice grew louder with every hateful word. "I spoke to your father. He wants me to dispose of Ms. Honda. But… I'm too kind at the heart to do that though. I couldn't bear to see someone so much less superior then me die at my hands or anyone that I order around to do so." More chuckling came from her mouth; her nose flares a little as he anger began to glow through her laughing. Kyo glares at Akito full of more fury then his body had ever experienced. The way he was speaking of Tohru was making him angrier by the second and at the mention of his father hatred raged on. "It seems you're getting a little upset. Didn't your newest training teach you to control such things as that?" Akito questions him trying to change the subject that she brought up.

Kyo quickly looks at Yuki who was slowly, but surely, regaining his composure as he got to his feet. He shot a questioning stare at him the moment they made eye contact. "What have you been trying to tell me Yuki…?" He inquires trying to drag the answer out of him with a clawing gaze.

"I should've told you the day after I was informed Kyo….but my hatred of you fueled my mind and told me not to tell you…-." A furious Cat-san cuts him off.

"ANSWER MY GOD DAMN QUESTION YUKI!" He roars leaving Tohru beside Hatori before he charges at Yuki with a ruthless look consuming his whole face.

Yuki looks at the ground sadly and then whips his head up to watch Kyo come towards him. "I didn't tell you for another reason too…" Kyo stops as he hears Yuki begin a new subject. He listens to what he has to say once again. "I knew that… if I told you, you'd be mentally hurt and that would bother Honda-san…. I…." He pauses and looks at Kyo knowing that after he says the last part of his sentence, that he will be hated for the rest of his life. "I love Tohru just as much as you!" Yuki shouts, looking at the ground now.

Kyo's eyes grow wide. Everyone seemed to go into shock. Especially Akito, who was getting even angrier then she was earlier. "Did…you just say her name?" Kyo mutters questioningly.

Shigure stares at Yuki. "Did you just say her name?" He repeats.

"I JUST ASKED THAT DUMBASS!" Shigure shivers as he hears Kyo's maximum rage. He looks at Yuki waiting for a response. Even Tohru had become quite shocked. It must have pierced Yuki's heart when he found out that it wasn't he she loved.

Hatori places his hands on her arms holding her on her feet in case she were to suddenly collapse from all of this random, heartbreaking, and thought shattering news.

He nods in response to Kyo's question. "Yes. I said her name…" his voice begins to trail off now. "Baka neko…" Yuki mutters in slight annoyance. Seeing Kyo cringe at what he was called, he laughs a little. "Do you want me to tell you what I was told those two months ago?" Kyo nods slowly, the curiosity overcoming his mind. "Akito-san told me…that even if you were to beat me, you couldn't live on the 'outside'." Yuki says plainly as if it were no big deal. Obviously the anger that Kyo had exhibited when he heard that he too loved Tohru had upset him greatly.

"What!" Kyo exclaims in horrific astonishment. "Why! I beat you!"

Akito laughs gleefully and pushes her hair away from her eyes. "My dear baka neko, I knew that you would beat Yuki with that extra training you planned on having. "She grins and notices a blank expression of Kyo's face. "Yes, I had known that you would eventually have the urge to go back to Kazuma just to become strong enough to beat Yuki. Of course, you wanted to do it with Ms. Honda around so that you could prove to her that you are not weak." Kyo continues to stare at her as angrily, yet surprised as ever. He couldn't figure out how she had come up with everything he had done before he had did it. "Kyo…what time did your graduation begin again?"

Kyo stares at Akito having completely know idea what the time had to do with anything. He glances at his watch and looks back at Akito. "It began at 11:30 A.M." Kyo replies quietly. She nods and then asks when it had ended. "Three o'clock…." His voice fades away as he checks his watch to make sure he said the correct time. It was around six o'clock now. Much time had passed from when the ceremony ended because of all the parents and fellow students congratulating them and holding them up, and of course, you can't forget the fight between Kyo and Yuki. "What the hell does the time have to do with me being locked up you damn Bas-tich!" He exclaims viciously taking a step towards both Yuki and Akito.

Shigure was huddling in a corner, using his cell phone to call Ayame to inform him of everything that was going on, and completely over-exaggerating every single tiny detail of it.

"You had to have heard the phrase 'Time is of the essence' right Kyo? Your time just happens to be up." Akito laughs evilly as if the joke was the most hilarious thing she had ever said. Slowly, she walks towards Kyo, not an ounce of fear inside her body or thoughts. Carefully Akito places her hands on his shoulders, looking up at Kyo curiously. "Kyo…the deal was 'If you can beat Yuki before graduation then you can stay free and become a member of the Juunishi. The key word in that certain deal, was _before._"

Yuki shakes his head. He was informed of this just as Shigure had. Sorrowful thoughts and feelings ripped at Tohru's mind and heart. She tried to pull away from Hatori who was now holding her back. "Ky-yooooo!" She calls for him sadly. He glances back at her and sighs not wanting to leave her. Not now. Not at this time. He didn't want to and he didn't care if Akito was going to try to force him. Tohru had her left arm extended, hand open as if she were trying to reach for Kyo from the distance she was from him. He motions for her to stop yelling his name and she does so.

"Akito…. I beat him…doesn't that _matter?_ I beat him and you're still going to lock me up because it was after that stupid ceremony!" He says in a loud, raspy whisper. It was clear that the idea of being locked up, after completing his end of the deal sounded extremely stupid, and most of all, wrong. Carefully, he turns his back to Akito and walks towards Hatori and Tohru. "I guess…. I wont be able to stay…. or become a member of the Juunishi…." He whispers to her solemnly. She shakes her head and looks at the ground; her face showed an even sadder expression then ever. It was like the face that she had mad when she found out her mother had died in a car accident, and like the time Kyo went off for training, even if he was only going to be gone for a month.

He places his hand on her head and smiles at her gently. "Nothing Akito says can make me stop loving you Tohru…." Kyo mutters to her, his lips beside her ear so that it allowed only her to know what he was saying. And, no more then a second later, he found her arms tightly around him in a way that told him she wouldn't be letting go.

Hatori spoke up, staring at Akito from a distance. "Akito-san…please don't do this. We had always wanted Kyo to be free and now he's able to express himself like a per-." Akito's roaring voice cut him off.

"HE IS NOT A PERSON! HE _IS_ A THING!" Her voice was louder then ever and it was drawing students and staff towards the back of the school. It had come to Akito's mind that Kyo still hadn't transformed. "LET GO OF HIM WENCH!" She exclaims roughly.

"Why…" her voice trails off as she glances at Akito by looking past Kyo's arm.

* * *

**Wow, there it is. The first chapter of 'Kan Yume'. God dangit…I hate saying first chapter. We're back to the drawing board…. dun dun dun.. or are we? JK, but I hope everyone enjoyed.**


	2. Her Gently Spoken Words

**Chapter 2: Her Gently Spoken Words

* * *

**

**Wow….the sequel really was on high-demand. I got eight reviews for my first chapter. And, that made me think 'Damn, I gotta begin chapter 2!'. I began it yesterday and finished today (9/2/05) it's the morning though. Hope you all enjoy! R&R! lol.**

**Disclaimer: Wow! I still don't own Furuba!

* * *

**

She raised the level of her voice as she continued on, "Why…do you call him a _thing_. You… pretend as if he doesn't have any feelings. Like he's some object. Akito-san…you shouldn't talk to people like that. It's…It's not right." Tohru stutters obviously, but her words were as clear as the swirling blue sky that was carefully become night.

Akito merely smirks and puts her hand to her mouth laughing into it softly. Withdrawing her hand from that position she stares at Tohru, seeming to be on the brink of hysteria. "Feelings? A monster like him doesn't have feelings! He's like a toy. After you get tired of him, you'll throw him out into the garbage to never see him again." She tilts her head and grins a little wider. "Just, think of him that way Ms. Honda…" Her voice whips through the air like lightning and seemed to slap Tohru right across the face. Watching her look down, a light, yet proud smile crept across her serious face. "Ms. Honda…or as Kyo calls you, Tohru…. You don't think you truly understand everything do you? You believe that you know all about this family just because you know of the curse." Akito takes a sly step towards Tohru and ends up being directly in front of her. "Now, my non-superior being, move out of the way and release your disgusting grasp of him." Clearly she was talking to Tohru as she said this.

Kyo tried to pull out of Tohru's loving grasp to go at Akito but she continued to keep a tight grip on him. She really wasn't planning on letting him go, let alone leave her side forever. Sighing a little, Kyo glances at Akito with a completely rage driven expression. "Akito…if…I go with you… to…be…"

"Locked away?" She exclaims finishing his sentence a little.

"Yeah, but, will you leave Tohru alone? Will you promise to not have anyone, or anything come near her and harm her in anyway?" Kyo questions, seeing that, out of the corner of his eye, Tohru was staring at him with a wondering expression. She couldn't believe what he was saying; it was ludicrous. She wouldn't come near to allowing him to do such a thing. Her fingers were gripping his arm tightly since she was now some how behind him because, when he had moved to advance towards Akito, she pulled him back. "Will you! It's a yes or no question Akito!" He yells as if he were ordering Akito to answer his question just as she always did with them.

A slight chuckle dripped out of Akito's mouth and Kureno was suddenly behind her, ready to back her up if need be. After a couple of moments, more people began to peek around the corner of the school to peer at them curiously. Hatori and Shigure hurriedly run to the people and begin pushing them back towards the front of the school so that in case something were to happen they wouldn't be able to see nor hear. Especially since it had completely nothing to do with them. It was only a family matter, no more then that.

Kyo stares at Akito waiting for his answer. It was something that couldn't wait. He had to know right here and now. If he didn't get the response he was awaiting, he'd have to some how wring it out of Akito's mouth without getting bombarded by Kureno who was –now considered- Akito's personal bodyguard. Slowly, Kyo pulls out of Tohru's weakening grasp and approaches Akito with angered steps. He stops before her and looks down at the much shorter Akito. Of course Akito would be shorter, since, Kyo was a male and Akito was a woman. It's practically a natural thing. "Just answer me already…it's not that hard…You're always prolonging everything! Answer me God dammit!" he exclaims grabbing the collar of Akito's silk kimono.

Akito plainly laughs and then replies as if it were a joke, "Fine, fine, baka neko. I wont send anyone or anything after her, happy? Isn't happy one of those 'feeling' things that wench was talking about? Do you really have feelings?" She questions, her eyes growing so large it made her seem even more evil then normal.

His grasp on the collar of her kimono loosens until he finally releases her. Kyo stares once more and then his gaze becomes a thick glare. "Yes…I have feelings," he grumbles so quietly that it sounded as if he was merely yawning or his stomach was rumbling. "And…don't call her that…she's not a wench." Kyo looks towards Akito, a strong impression imbedded in his forehead showing his seriousness. He couldn't stand it when people spoke lowly of Tohru. Even though he's had his share of calling her: Hopeless, tiresome, overly cheerful, dummy, doofus, or just popping her on the head gently with his fist. Something about those times made him already begin to miss them.

Tohru looks at Kyo, then at her hands. Only ten minutes ago she was hugging him and he still has yet to transform. Was it really true, what Akito said? Was her love honestly on the verge of slowly deteriorating Kyo's part of the curse? If so, then she knew the best thing to keep doing was forcing her love upon him, almost like she were pretending to be Kagura, only much less brutal about it all. Gradually, Tohru walks towards them and pushes Kyo and Akito is opposite directions so that they were at least a step or two away from each other now. Akito looked appalled at the fact that Tohru put her hand on her at all. Kyo was just plainly surprised that she separated them in such a way that she didn't mind seeing the expression of discuss on their 'God's face.

"Never…touch me again!" Akito screams abruptly. Tohru flinches a little and looks at the ground between them. Kyo's footprint was planted in the ground from when he stomped at Akito and grabbed her by the kimono. "If she does that again…. Kyo," her face cringes a little as she speaks his name, "then I will break the promise you made me make." She whispers so that the two of them could hear clearly, but Yuki can't.

While on the subject of Yuki, he stood around the same spot he had been standing at since they had encountered Akito face to face; after Kyo beat him. His fist was tightly closed so that his nails were digging into his palm, almost drawing ounces of blood. He turns around to face the back door of the school and sees Haru and Kisa coming out the door followed by Isuzu and Hiro.

They immediately spotted Kyo, Tohru, and Akito staring at each other. It was clear to them that both Kyo and Tohru were extremely sad. Haru takes a quick glance at the three of them, and then grins at Akito. He runs over to the triangle and steps past Tohru. "Akito!" he exclaims out of nowhere.

Akito looks at Haru in annoyance. "Get back inside the school you stupid, retarded Ox!" She exclaims, cocking her arm back and slamming him in the face with her wide-open hand. He pulls his head back to the side to face her.

Haru looks at Akito disobediently. "I wont have to listen to you much longer will I?" He mutters, moving closer to Akito. He spoke into her ears and a horrified face replaced Akito's evil, all-knowing one.

"What…how do you know?"

"A little birdie told me…" he continues to whisper on, leaving both Kyo and Tohru confused at this. They had completely no idea what he was saying, and clearly wanted to know, or at least be slightly filled in.

Kisa hurried over to Tohru without permission and hugged her legs. "Onee-chan! Onee-chan!" She exclaims sounding a little breathless. Obviously she had been searching around for Tohru for quite some time with Hiro, Isuzu, and Haru. "Momiji-kun went to work, he said he'll fill in for you again. Are we going to go to Shigure oji-chan's house?" Kisa continues on acting just as overly happy as Tohru usually is.

"I don't know if we're going to go to Shigure-san's house at the moment Kisa-chan." She replies, kneeling down to hug Kisa happily. "Go back inside with Isuzu-san and Hiro-chan. I'm going to stay out here with Haru and Kyo-kun." Tohru informs her so that she knows exactly what she was going to do and when she'll be coming back (sort of), and so that she didn't worry about what was actually going on for the fact that she had no idea what was really happening.

She nods and obediently runs back inside the school taking quick hold of Hiro and Isuzu's hands. They both hurried into the school, Isuzu was clearly trying to pull away, but Kisa was so darn insistent on her coming inside with her.

Kyo looks blankly at Akito and grins seeing her fright-filled face. "So, what is it that Haru knows about you? Are you afraid of his knowledge? Is the fact that he isn't as dumb as you depict frightening you?" he shouts roughly but once again, Tohru latches onto his arm and holds him back so that he didn't do anything brash.

Akito began to speak like she had completely ignored both Haru and Kyo, "Ms. Honda, I'll be seeing you soon." She glances at Kyo and grins, her eye twitching for a moment. "You, will be coming to the Main Sohma estate at midnight tomorrow night. Kureno will go and fetch you. I'll give you your time to say your little good-byes and cry your brains out. But, after that, say hello to the amazing darkness of the ice cold room that Ms. Tohru over there," she points to Tohru, "has already been in. You'll never see the outside world again Kyo…all you'll ever see through those eyes is four steel walls…. and me!" Akito bellows, more attention beginning to be drawn toward the back of the school. Hatori and Shigure were doing their best to keep the people back and explain to them that nothing was going on in the slightest. Kyo glares at Akito and sighs, nodding gradually.

Tohru also lets out a deep, upset breath. She turns a little and grabs Kyo's left arm in hopes that he'll turn around so that she can speak to him a little more privately. He does exactly that and Tohru ends up pulling him gently to the side to leave Haru and Akito talking once more. That frightened expression instantly ripped at Akito's face. It was as though each word Haru spoke was hitting her with a steel baseball bat and allowing that fearful face to appear over and over again; her fear was actually beginning to grow so much that her face became even paler then usual. Haru's let's loose a proud smile and puts his hand on her shoulder. "Akito…make sure to send your funeral invites soon, who knows when you'll just…. kick-the-bucket." He spoke the last three words so delicately that it made it sound like what he was saying was something that happens in their family a lot.

Looking up at him with a gentle smile, Tohru wraps her arms around Kyo again, burying her face in his chest. His uniform-shirt was getting slightly damp. He began to realize that she was crying. Kyo places his right hand on the back of her head and holds her against him; he wasn't going to let her go until she was feeling a little better. "Tohru, I'm sorry that I have to go. But," he pauses leans forward slightly, resting his head against her's a little, "I'm leaving tomorrow at midnight, that's plenty of time for you and I to do anything. I'll…. I'll even eat leeks if you want me to." Her grip around him tightens. Slowly, she pulls her head off his chest and smiles feeling his head against her's. She lets out a soft giggle. "Are you laughing at me?" Tohru nods, she was beginning to feel a tad better, but that was about it. The only thing that made her laugh was the fact that he'd eat leeks for her. And, saying that means he really loves her.

"Kyo…-kun…do you think…. your curse is broken? You…haven't transformed for an awfully long time…" Her voice was extremely shaky as she spoke. Even though he had made her chuckle a bit, she was still incredibly scared and she was still as sad as she was the day her mother died. He looks at her reluctantly, he couldn't stand seeing her tears and hearing her voice when she sounded like her life was coming to an end.

"Look, maybe it is, maybe it isn't. I have no idea Tohru…but, I may still have to go. Akito will probably come up with another Bitch-like rule or something." He mutters to her. The moment both Haru and Akito turned around he knew that they both heard what he said even though he spoke in a whisper. He groans a little and pulls her away from him so that she is no longer embracing him. "Tohru…. I still love you, and … I always will. I feel like I've already said this, but… I don't know. I don't want you getting hurt because of our love for each other." He reaches up and his fingers go through the front of his hair and stops as he drops his hand and holds it there. "You know…I just don't know how I should think anymore. Sometimes I'm mad and sometimes…I feel like the things I've done in the past have been long forgotten, possibly forgiven. But, then I remember all those things I did do and realize in my thoughts that those things aren't allowed to be forgiven, or forgotten." Tohru couldn't quite understand what he was saying, but she listened to each and every word he spoke.

Akito glances at them and shoves past Haru. "I'm leaving now my dear, disgusting monster." She says this as she turns Kyo around. "Gah…now I must wash my hands. You really should turn around when I'm talking to you, that way I don't have to touch your filth." Akito snaps at him and then leaves, going on her way with Kureno. Hatori caught up to them and takes the steering wheel of the car as they drive home.

"Where's that bastard Shigure?" Yuki suddenly yells, ignoring Tohru and Kyo's little

'moment' together. He looks around trying to spoke Shigure and then sees him with girls all around him. He hurries over there and grabs him by the arm, pulling him away from them all. "Why did you stay near them? What if one was like 'Ooo Shigure-san, I love you' and then hugs you!" he exclaims after he had mimicked what a girl could have done.

"Calm down Yuki-kun!" He says cheerfully. Who knows what he had been doing when he was suppose to be removing everyone and their numerous watchful eyes.

Kyo looks at Tohru and takes a swift hold of her hand. He gently smiles and walks with her toward the front of the school. "Kyo-kun?" She whispers gently.

"Yes?" He mumbles, everything and everyone was beginning to get extremely annoying and it was blowing out the capacity in his mind that allowed him to be annoyed.

"I don't like Akito-san…" her voice trails off. She had spoke so gently, and sweetly that it made him laugh when she said it. Those wonderful words of her's, was the exact thing almost every member of the juunishi always thought.

* * *

**I love you all, my reviewers are the only reason I continue my fanfics. Without you, I'd feel incredibly bored when I type. So extra thanks to all of you!**


	3. The Feeling of Sorrow and Worry

**Chapter 3: The Feeling of Sorrow and Worry

* * *

**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Furuba.**

**Well… here's Chapter 3! We're moving along rather quickly aren't we. Again, I'm going to thank all my reviewers, keep doing what you do best…. um... reviewing and talking to me over IM, lol. Please enjoy this chapter of 'Kan Yume'.

* * *

**

As they gradually made their way towards Shigure-san's house, it was almost as quiet as death. The things they had witnessed on what was supposed to be one of the most memorable days of their life, had ruined the whole celebration. Of course Akito must have planned all of this, even if she said it was all merely assumption. Some how she was pulling the strings on each of them as if they were just plain, old, lifeless puppets. Kyo glanced at Tohru a couple of times but couldn't think of any words that would make her feel even remotely better. His mouth would open and nothing would decide to come out so he'd just close it again.

Yuki and Shigure were walking side by side, not even looking at each other for a second. They had gotten into some fight that Tohru and Kyo had completely no knowledge of -and at the moment- didn't exactly care. The only thing on each of their minds was, 'How will we try to continue life in the household?' None of them were able to find the answer they were desperately, and mentally searching for. It was a quiet voice that no one was allowed to hear, and therefore, couldn't recall the answer even when –or if- it was spoken to them. Nearly all of them sigh and stop as they reach the strange looking home they had resided in for such a long time, together. Kyo instantly went to the door, stepping up the little staircase that was only one step high and touches the paper door that had always been there. Slowly and delicately, he opens the door and enters into the house.

The three watched him as though he were doing something shocking. Then, after a moment of deep thoughts and slight hyperventilation by Tohru, they enter just behind him. It was just as quiet when they got inside Shigure's home. Every spot they touched became a darkening gray that consumed every inch of the area their feet or hands came in contact with, or so it felt that way.

Suddenly, Kyo jerks his arm back and throws his bag upstairs. It only had his cap and gown in and he could careless if everything in that knapsack was burned with flashing crimson flames. They each remembered the morning the moment the bag hit the floor of the second story. Tohru runs up the steps, past Kyo and goes into her room. She was acting so different, and so upset that she slammed the door of her bedroom. That was completely out of her normal character. Normally, she'd just try to act as though nothing was going on and continue with her life to make everyone else's better.

Kyo follows up the steps, also being followed by none other then Yuki. He hadn't spoken for an extremely long time. He'd gone wordless for an even more time-consuming length then the others. The both of them enter her bedroom only to find her lying in her bed, on her belly, and her face buried in her comfy pillow. They sigh slightly and Kyo goes to the left side of her bed while Yuki goes on the right. Kyo gets on his knees and Yuki copies. The both of them were trying to draw her attention away from her sullen thoughts. Though it clearly didn't seem to be working. The moment she saw Kyo's caring and thoughtful expression she bursted into rapid, lake filling tears. He gently takes hold of her hand and turns her over, sitting her up by force. Kyo looks at her and gently smiles. "You're making everything seem worse then it really is. I still have a day left ya know!" He exclaims trying to cheer her up a little. After it didn't seem to work, he sighs once more and looks her in the eyes. "Tohru…we'll do whatever you want tomorrow. Just, get a good rest. Don't think about the crap that happened today. For all we know, it was all a dream right?" He whispers trying to reassure her as well as calm her down.

Yuki groans a little and looks at the both of them. He stands up and places his hand on her forehead, pushing her down gently to get her head the pillow properly. Kissing her head she blushes slightly and looks down. "Kan yume…" he nods slightly, bows for a moment, and leaves the room slowly, closing the door gently behind him.

She touches her head and looks at Kyo. "I'll sleep Kyo-kun…" Tohru nods gently and smiles at him. He smiles even though the anger of seeing Yuki put his lips to her sweet skin was pulsing through him. Kyo pats her hand gently and leaves the room the exact same way Yuki had; by closing the door quietly as he exited. She says 'good night' to him and moments later she was fast asleep, floating around in her mind's dream world.

Kyo and Yuki were finally asleep in their respective beds when she began to have a strange dream

The windows shook with a gentle rumbling gust of wind. She finds herself making her way down a long, practically never ending hallway. The doors seemed just as endless and each had a different, but extremely unique design on it. Her hand reaches towards a doorknob and touches ends up touching it, taking a firm grip on the steel that it was made of. After turning the doorknob she pushes the door open and looks around. She shudders and stares in shock. One part of her felt incredibly cold, but the other side. Well, the other side felt all warm and fuzzy and gave her a calm and comfortable feeling inside. There was something about this place that was so familiar. Then it hit her. She glances at the left side of the room. It was up of black walls that were covered with sheets of metal. The window that was on one of the black steel walls had bars over it. Then, when she glanced at the other side she saw a room. It was neat, and remarkably tidy. No one was there and she found her feet forcing her to advance towards it. Her body hit the bed and only a moment passed before she realized she was in Kyo's bedroom. Nothing was touched, not in the slightest. She gazes across the room and stares at the black end. Sitting in a corner, cold and alone, was Kyo who looked beaten. His shirt had dry blood on it and his bottom lip had a recovering laceration. She hadn't seen him this badly hurt in an extremely long time. Tohru didn't ever want him to be like that again. Nothing would make her wish that upon anyone, even if it was the person she hated the most, that person being Akito.

The morning soon came. The sun illuminated the sky with its burning yellowish-orange light. Each feathery cloud floated around in the air thoughtlessly as always and they were as white as ever. She rolled out of her bed slowly, eyes gradually opening only to see Kyo standing at the frame of her bedroom door. He rested against it, one hand at his hip, clearly waiting for her to notice him. "Ky…Kyo-kun…" she whispers gently. "G-Good morning!" A sudden rush of cheerfulness flowed through her voice as she exclaimed these common words. He heard her say this every morning of every day; except for the times when he was out training with Kazuma.

"Did you…sleep well?" He asks looking at her inquisitively. She nods seeming a little blank as she does so.

Getting completely out of her bed, Tohru walks over to Kyo, stumbling a couple times. She smiles and hugs him. And, as if she had forgotten ever knowing them, Kyo transformed in an instant. A look of surprise came over her face when she saw Kyo's kitty form lying quietly in her arms. "Y-You transformed Kyo-kun…" she whispers sounding astonished. It was as if she had failed to remember the fact they were all cursed to transform into the animals of the Juunishi and the cat. Tohru sighs gently, "I suppose…it may be because I'm so tired." He nods slightly and lets out an even deeper sigh then her's. She looks at him, tilting her head to the side for a moment. "Are you okay Kyo-kun?" Tohru asks sweetly.

"I'm fine." He answers the second she asked her question. Then, he looks up at her and his cat mouth splits into a soft smile. "We'll go wherever you want today. Or, do whatever you want for that matter." He mumbles knowing that she could possibly choose the world's dumbest, and non-fun thing. Kyo leaps out of her arms and onto his clothes. A gentle poof is heard and he hurriedly puts his clothes back on right as Tohru spins around in embarrassment. Her face was flush as she turned back around to face him, now that he was fully clothed. "Sorry…" Kyo groans slightly, rubbing the back of his head feeling the same embarrassed emotion she had.

A soft giggle is heard from her, then she smiles at him. "I'm going to get changed Kyo-kun! Maybe we can go to the park. Oh… oh and we can find the other's and play around. It can be so much fun!" She exclaims happily, leaning forward slightly, her hands clasped together, eyes closed as she imagined how every thing would turn out. Her eyes open, she was still smiling which told Kyo that she hadn't even attempted to think about him being taken out of her life. He smiles back at her and pats her shoulder, nodding softly. Kyo leaves the room and goes downstairs and waits for her to come down as well.

She changes her clothes and hurries out of her bedroom, going down the steps at a quick pace. Stopping just feet from Kyo a bright, loving smile crosses her face and she grabs his hand instantly. He smiles back at her and looks at Yuki giving him a quick, yet fierce glare. Abruptly, Kyo pulls her along and out the door forcefully as if he couldn't stand seeing Yuki's face, even if it was for only a second.

Just as Kyo and Tohru stepped down off the porch they were greeted by Kisa and Hiro who had slightly hopeful expressions on their faces. "Onee-chan…" she whispers to Tohru, then trots over to her quickly, hugging her legs tightly. "Did Akito-san hurt you Onee-chan? Did she make Onee-chan sad?" Tohru gave Kisa a why-would-you-ask-that kind of look. "Akito-san was speaking badly of you last night. Hiro-chan and I were walking by and overheard her saying really awful things. We thought she harmed you and so we came here to make sure you were okay!" She responds instantly, nestling her head into Tohru's legs. After pulling away she allows Tohru to kneel down so that she can be hugged probably. "Hiro-chan was worried too! Isn't that great?" Kisa says happily, sounding very proud of Hiro. It brought a smile to Tohru's face as she heard the excitement in Kisa's tone.

Hiro looks at the ground, kicking his shoe-covered feet against the dirt in embarrassment. "I wasn't worried about her…. she's dumb enough to have baka neko over there to worry…" He grunts out trying to overshadow his true concern and such. Tohru just smiles at him, understanding what he was trying to do. Even Kyo didn't explode when hearing the name Hiro had called him, or when he had called Tohru dumb, he actually just stood still seeming agitated at the fact that the two youngest members of the juunishi had to drop by on his last day with Tohru. Nonetheless, he sighs and allows them to continue their pointless conversation about being worried and not being worried. It was all rather boring on Kyo's standards, but he let it go on and on until their stupidity drive was all worn out.

"Look, we have to go alright?" Kyo says out of nowhere catching the three of them by surprise. Then, in complete agreement, Tohru nods. He manages a smile and allows the two children to see it so that they could know that he wasn't angered by anything they were currently doing.

As they began to walk down the path they original were thinking about going down, Kisa runs up to Tohru once more and tugs at the back of her shirt. Kyo and Tohru stop and turn around to look at Kisa whose expression was as innocent and as kind as ever. He sighs and places his hand on Kisa's head. "We're going to be back later. Just stay at the house, okay?" Kyo says quietly so that she would stop interrupting their walk.

Kisa smiles happily at Kyo and nods. "Okay Kyo-kun!" Her face was letting off one of the most cheerful lights as she smiled at them. Tohru hugs Kisa one last time and then continues on walking with Kyo.

The two children run inside and quickly find Katsuro who was ready to play as always. Finally walking once more, Tohru hugged Kyo's right arm as they made their way down the winding path in the forest. Her face was suddenly a little gloomy and it made Kyo wonder. He had only just seen her smiling moments ago, and now she was frowning a bit.

Sighing, he stops for about the sixth time already and pulls Tohru off his arm. His hands were holding on to her arms so that they were completely facing each other. She looked a little startled by this and then calmed down at once. "What's wrong Tohru? You can… tell me…" Kyo wanted to say this as softly as possible, he couldn't even think of yelling at her.

"Kyo…I'm…sad…" her voice was almost as shaky as the day before and her hands were shaking slightly.

"No crap you're sad." Kyo mutters under his breath knowing exactly why she was so upset.

She smiles at him weakly and pulls her arms out of his grasp and takes hold of his hands gently. "I tried to ignore the fact that you were leaving…" her eyes began to steadily fill with sorrowful tears. "But…I couldn't…the dream Kyo…the dream…" Her body was beginning to feel numb and she couldn't stand straight. And then she dropped, falling limp, into Kyo's arms. He wrapped his arms around her and held her weak body against his own.

"What dream Tohru!" he asks resting his head gently against her's. Kyo didn't understand what she meant when all she was saying was 'the dream'. It wasn't making any sense and he could tell that she knew she had to explain everything to him. When she didn't answer him for a couple of moments and just cried into his chest, he sighs a little and rubs the back of her head with his hand. "Tohru…please, you can tell me…"

She slowly nods and pulls her head away from his torso. Looking up at him slightly, she answers his question. "When… Yuki told me to have sweet dreams…I didn't. It was a horrible dream… and … and," more tears began to flow down her cheeks like a raging river, "you were hurt. Your shirt…was covered…in…in blood. You were in that horrible room, but across from that was your bedroom….a-at Shigure-san's house." Her voice was getting inconsistent, she couldn't keep her tone or the way she was speaking the same. One time she'd sound squeaky and soft, then another time you'd hear her slightly yelling but her throat would be raspy. The most common was the shaky voice with a gentle, sad tone.

Kyo tilts his head trying to comprehend her words. It was a little confusing because of the way her voice would shift. He'd feel as though he'd have to calm her down and when he tries doing that he misses the things she was saying or just plain old doesn't understand it. "Don't think about that stuff Tohru…please…" he sounded as if he were pleading with her. All he wanted on his last day with her was to be happy and have a lot of fun. That image was slowly drifting away as he sadness bit at it. It wasn't her fault though; she just couldn't keep her emotions under control at the moment. She loved him so much that knowing he was going to leave was heartbreaking.

* * *

**I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. I felt like I dragged it out a little, if you think so please tell me. I'd like to know if I'm doing anything wrong. And, even though Kyo is a little OOC its because of his love for Tohru and it's hard for him to say or do anything bad in front of her. -- That is a little confusing…. PLEASE R&R, lol.**


	4. Strong Feelings

**Chapter 4: Strong Feelings

* * *

**

**I'm sorry for making all of you wait so long. Please R/R! Okay… Here we go! Ready! Steady? Okay…So…lets just move right along, shall we?

* * *

Tohru glances at Kyo after letting out a few more tears. He wipes them away with his index finger gently so that his finger doesn't touch her eye. She softly smiles at him; a false smile was all she showed. It was not of cheer, or joy, but of sorrow and pain. He could tell this because her face normally beamed with an illuminating light that could make the most upset person crack a smile. Slowly, he places his hand on top of her head and nods a little. Without saying or even gesturing anymore, he turns to face the path once more and it makes Tohru notice that by him doing that it meant for her to just follow him.**

He began walking, not even checking to see if she was following him. The sense of feeling he was getting at the moment told him all he needed to know. She was walking closely behind him, shuffling her feet against the dirt trail so loudly that it made him begin to believe that she wasn't even able to lift her feet. Like her ankles were locked so tightly that she wasn't allowed to bend them in any way. Kyo sighs slightly and continues on. His perfect image of a last day with the girl he loved was tarnished. It was completely full of black spots -that were like worm holes- and they were gradually eating away at his rare imagination.

She suddenly hurries to his side and latches onto his arm just as she had earlier. After a couple moments, her expression had dramatically changed. The heartbreaking, saddening face was gone and it was replaced with the warmest and most welcoming smile he had ever seen. He couldn't help but smile and before he even knew what he was doing he found himself thinking, **_that's the beautiful smile…. of the woman I love…_** He shook his head in embarrassment. Even though he hadn't said it out the feeling of just thinking it made his face flush. And, as if she had mentally heard his thoughts, an even brighter smile consumed her face.

He couldn't believe the things that had happened in the past three months. So much to bring them closer together; possibly farther apart. But, the most important thing was the moment she heard about him being locked away if he couldn't beat Yuki, that night on the roof. If that were to never happen, they both wouldn't have admitted their burning love for each other. Without that awkward moment and without the time he went chasing after her in the forest things could've been much different. The simplest things brought them together, but it was mostly their love. There was nothing in their lives that could destroy their feelings for one another.

Kyo comes to a stop and moves in front of Tohru. He puts his hand under her chin, lifting her head up gently. He moved his head a little closer to her's, fear erased from his eyes, compassion replacing the vanishing fear. His lips were only seconds away from meeting with her's. Those as sweet as nectar, those as soft as a white cloud. Could he finally reach the point in his life where he can honestly admit how much he loved her by one mere action? As small of a physical motion this was, it was almost the hardest thing two people could do.

She was showing no signs of moving out of the way. Her eyes slowly closed as she awaited his lips. Tohru stood completely still knowing that this was the last time they'd ever have a chance to do this. The both of them had to take full advantage of their feelings. This opportunity never arose for the fact that people were always coming in and out of Shigure's house. What better a place to be when getting your first kiss then an empty forest?

It finally happened. His slightly dry lips pressed against her smooth ones. She accepted this and suddenly pulled back, blushing uncontrollably. It was good enough for the both of them for the fact that neither of them had ever kissed another person before in their lives. Unless, you counted their parents, which in Kyo's case, didn't happen much. Their minds rushed and they both looked down, Kyo turning his back to her trying to hide his completely red face. She glances up and smiles shyly, not that he could even see her.

Kyo's hands sat at his waist and he kept his eyes on the ground. He wouldn't be sure of when the redness in his face was going to go away, but he'd have to get some kind of feeling of relieved stress or something. Eventually, he turns back around to face her. She looked so innocent, not to mention cute. Kyo slowly bit his bottom lip. He knew she accepted what he had chosen to do, but he couldn't help but believe it was eating at her some how.

"Tohru…?" he let out a gentle gasp the moment he spoke. Her name was a part of the exhalation. She didn't look as if she'd be responding any time soon. Instead, she looked rather shocked and happy at the same time. It was actually a strange expression to show. Just imagine being shocked and happy. He couldn't even understand the face she had on. Normally the person's eyes tell the looker the answer to the question they're seeking. But in this case it was not near true. Her eyes showed her shock, as her pupil's were very large. Then, there was the look of happiness across the rest of her face. There was a merry smile slipped across her face and it made him finally realize that everything was okay. He knew this because her smile showed much more expression then her eyes, which, is normally the way to see what the person is thinking.

"Let's…stay together…always…" her words floated around him. In no more then a second after speaking those strong words, she drops herself against his arm and found herself crying once again. Kyo, on instinct, wraps his left arm around her neck gesturing that she could keep crying, as much as she wants.

How many times had he found himself with her when she was crying? Possibly close to a hundred times this has happened, and almost three times today alone. Even though he was going to let her cry her brains out, he ends up deciding against it by pulling her off his arm. Kyo looks at her sincerely. "Tohru…. let's just keep walking. Every time one of us stops, you start crying. I said that we should forget about the things we hate…now let's hurry up." He groans and then abruptly continues walking down the dirt path that was now beginning to have pebbles all over it from who knows what.

Tohru nods and hurries after him once again.

**XxX**

Akito sat quietly within the home she lived in with Kureno. Everything was quiet and the only sound you could even attempt to hear was Akito's finger's gently scraping together every couple of seconds. Suddenly, an echoing knock is heard at the door and she slowly looks up and across the room toward the door. It was slightly rumbling from the person who was knocking. She glances at Kureno, which told him to get up and get the door. Akito wanted to know who exactly was at the door and why they were disturbing the peace and quiet that she was actually enjoying.

He gets up and walks obediently to the door. As he opens it, the wide open door makes him see the angered face of Haru's staring at his own blank expression. "Haru…you've angered Akito enough from what you said to her yesterday. Come back some-." Kureno was shoved to the side as Haru ran past him, ignoring the words he was speaking.

Haru's fists were tightly closed and at his sides. He looks at the ground before shifting his head upward a little to stare at Akito. A gentle laugh drops out of his mouth, and then he grins out of nowhere. "Akito…. you damn bitch you…You're still going to lock Kyo up? If I tell everyone why you are so damn frail, they'll burn you at the stake… you don't want your entire family turning against you do you?"

**_He's taunting me! He's actually making fun of me! That stupid ox…. Is he aware that he is questioning every ounce of my authority?_** She lets out a gasp even though all of this was in her thoughts. Akito stands up and walks up to Haru, she was a lot shorter then him. Swiftly, she lunges her open hand at him and he instantly catches her wrist. He grins at her angrily.

"You're causing pain to more people then you even realize. Do you honestly believe that Tohru will allow you to lock him up! He isn't an experiment Akito!" He shouts at her, getting in her face now. All of this was beginning to shock both Kureno and Akito. No one had ever challenged her in this way before. "We all know your time is almost up…we all know about your lifeline." At the sound of 'all' Akito staggered backward, but Haru kept a tight hold on her wrist. "You have no idea how much I want to pop you in the face." There was no stopping Haru now. The black side of him was now _completely _controlling his mind for the time being.

Suddenly, Akito finds herself laughing loudly, and trying to pull out of Haru's grasp. When she stopped it made Haru a little curious, nonetheless she kept on laughing as if everyone had missed one of the funniest jokes. He stared at her blankly, but the grasp on her wrist was growing much tighter. "Haru… you really are a funny yet, stupid ox aren't you? Are you saying you'll tell each member of the Sohma family to come and crucify me or something?" She questions roughly. Haru didn't take the insult lightly. He brought one of his closed fists around and slammed her right in the face.

Kureno hurried up to them and pulled Haru away and called for help. Hatori and many other physicians came running in to have a look at Akito. Just before going to her though, Hatori looked at Haru and let out a deep sigh.

Haru looks down and pulls away from Kureno, leaving the building, as well as the Sohma Estate.

**XxX**

They approached the end of the dirt path and looked to both sides before crossing to the other side of the street. The moment they reached the other side they saw Haru hurrying down the sidewalk, looking at the pavement as he did so. Kyo couldn't believe the stupidity he was showing off. Imagine how much trouble the three of them would be in if he were to transform.

Suddenly, Kyo found himself leaving Tohru by herself and running towards Haru. If he didn't reach him before he ran into the girl that was exiting the store, there'd be bedlam all over the streets. He was moving as fast as his legs allowed him. The girl was opening the door now and Kyo was beginning to pick up the pace. Haru looks up and sees the girl. Thinking quickly, Kyo jumps over the girl and tackles Haru to the ground before he runs into the girl. He rolls away from Haru and sits up.

Tohru runs over to the both of them and stops after passing the girl. She smiles and lets out a sigh of relief. She was just happy that neither of them had gotten hurt. Kneeling down to their side, she places a hand on both of their chests and looks at them both at one point or another. Suddenly, it came to her, her curiosity taking complete hold of her body and thoughts. "Haru-kun…" Tohru began carefully, "The day of graduation, you were speaking with Akito-san…wha… if I may ask that is- what did you say to her?" She asks quietly so that no passerby's heard.

He slightly sighs and sits up, pulling Tohru's hand away. Kyo did the same as Haru, only seeming much more grateful about Tohru's caring actions then his family member. But, Kyo could tell that the only reason Haru hadn't shown the same physical response was because he had to prepare himself to speak the exact words he had the day before. "I was coming to see the both of you about just that." Haru whispers as he gets to his feet, dusting the dirt off his pants and shoulders, even if there wasn't any. He extends his hand to Kyo who plainly ignores it and gets to his feet without any help. Haru glances at Tohru and shifts his position to completely face her. "Akito-san has only a limited time to live. But, she intends on having all of us –the juunishi- to return to her to give her a longer lifeline. If she somehow figures out a way to lock us all up, then…. well, you get the picture." His voice trailed off as sudden nausea slipped into his stomach at the thought of Akito being around longer then she is supposed to.

Tohru and Kyo stare at him at a loss for words. The silence had to be broken by someone and she decided it had to be her. Tohru's mouth opened and the words flowed out so smoothly you'd think she wasn't at all afraid of Akito, "But…what did you say to her…?"

For a moment all he had done was rub his forehead. Then, he finally spoke. "I told her…that it wasn't the right thing to do." After hearing this, Kyo gave Haru a 'is that all' stare. He merely shook his head and continued on, "I told her that I knew about her limited time to live and what she was planning. Also, that there's one thing she forgot to figure out." Once again, the both of them gave him their own little confused gaze. Haru laughs gently and then stops, his face full of seriousness. "That we all weren't going to fall for a deal of any sort. She has no way of trapping the rest of us." Haru's voice was stern; they could tell they had to be listening, even if it wasn't instructions of any type.

Kyo looks at the ground and sighs. "So…there's no chance in me actually staying free…. is there?" he asks, the sadness in his tone was so clear you'd think it was tattooed all over his body and clothes. Haru regrettably shakes his head after fully hearing Kyo's question.

Tohru was tempted to hug him, but who knew how the transformation progress was working at the moment. If she were to hug him and it turned out differently then normal, she could lose her memory. She didn't want that, nowhere near it to be exact. Sighing as she began tugging back her tears like they were hooked to a string, Tohru took a strong hold of Kyo's hand. It was just as Haru had said to Akito. She wasn't going to let him go that easily. As if she knew about the conversation that Haru had with Akito moments ago, she shakes her head, trying to banish her sad thoughts. Her mind was rushing at a great, yet constant speed. It was neither speeding up, nor slowing down. She was purely being driven with the motivation of keeping him with her.

After standing in the middle of the sidewalk for many more moments, they decided to all take a walk together, even if it wasn't how Kyo imagined spending the day. Their feet moved ever so slowly; lifelessly. If anything they were completely despondent and even if someone were to shout their names on an intercom they'd probably continue trudging along blankly as if they were deaf.

Hours passed until they finally headed back to Shigure's path taking the strongly familiar path. Even Haru didn't get the sense that they were anywhere near lost, and that's really saying a lot. Sliding the door open the first people to greet them was Kisa, Katsuro, and Yuki. Hiro was apparently in the bathroom at the time; otherwise he would have been at Kisa's side.

Shigure came out of his workroom and looked at Kyo. For the first time in probably ever a sad expression occupied his face. It truly was a sincere one too. And, as much as Kyo disliked Shigure he couldn't help but thank him with a gentle nod. He went upstairs and into his bedroom where loud clambering was heard from downstairs. It was clear that he was angrily packing his clothes. Shigure went up there and moved all the furniture out of the room, even if he knew he was going to hurt his back in the process. Thankfully though, Haru helped him. Kyo packed the entire time, sticking books that Tohru gave him into a bag along with his clothes.

She couldn't help it now. Tohru ran upstairs quickly and entered his room. A gentle, but strongly sad smile crossed her face. It was hardly even visible. Slowly, she walks to him and unzips his bag right after he closed it. He looks at her curiously and sees her pull a photograph out of a pocket in her white, velvet dress that made her look even more beautiful then usual and put it inside his bag. It was a picture of him, her, Yuki, and Katsuro. As sad as he was, he laughed quietly. He noticed Shishou trying to get into the picture by sticking his arm out from the side.

Not being able to control it anymore, they caught each other in a tight embrace. And, with a snap of the finger, Kyo had transformed. The pattern his transformation was going in was almost impossible to figure out, but she cuddled the cat form of Kyo in her arms, nestling her head into his furry one. "I'll miss you…so…so…so much Kyo-kun…" her voice was muffled as she spoke into his orange fur. A tear slipped from his mesmerizing cat eyes and he allowed her to treat him just like any ordinary cat; only, this cat was being taken away from her forcefully.

* * *

**Again, I'd like to apologize for not updating sooner. I got a really bad stomachache and couldn't pull the strength together to finish this chapter –it's been half done for three days- so, I'm sorry. I do hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Tell me whatcha think! **


	5. Watch Him Walk Away

**Chapter 5: Watch Him Walk Away

* * *

**

**Here, is Chapter 5! I'm glad everyone's enjoying it so much! Continue to R&R! I like knowing what you all think. I'm gonna stop talking now, and let you read.

* * *

**

Everything was packed up now. The room completely empty as if he had never lived there. All that remained was a small dust ball in the corner where his dresser used to be. It truly was amazing, making one room appear as if it were to be sold for rental.

Kyo looked at his bag, which was stuffed with clothes and a pair of shoes. Another, much smaller bag, contained books and things that Tohru made him. In the first bag, of course, Tohru had put that photograph. She briefly hugs Kyo's soft cat form before setting him gently onto the ground. Tohru turns around and the moment she did so, he transformed back to himself and hurriedly put his clothes back on. He picked up the bags with the clothes in it and slung it over his shoulder slowly. The other bag was just being held -by the strap- in his left hand. Kyo slightly smiles at Tohru and leaves the bedroom, not saying another word. No 'I love you' or 'I wish I didn't have to leave' he acted as if he were going on a short vacation or something.

She daren't speak either. Her body was practically in shock and she instantly got weak at the knees the moment she lost sight of him. Tohru fell limply to the ground and pushed her hands to the floor holding her self up a little. It was all over. Their love for each other was getting hit with a large wrecking ball and it rammed straight through the center of them, demolishing whatever relationship they had left. She hated all of it, and it was seldom that she felt the feeling of hatred. The most she's ever had the emotion inside her was her hatred for Akito and the hatred of Kyo leaving. But, isn't that all interconnected? It was all created by Akito's sick mind, her growing, manifesting greed. Nothing would ever allow her to forgive the head of the Sohma family, the equivalent of God in their standards.

He reached the bottom level of the house and looked at Haru and Hiro who were talking to each other like they were the same age. It wasn't that abnormal though, Hiro was almost acting older then he really was. Kyo slowly approaches them, shuffling his feet along the floor knowing that the moment the front door opened and he stepped out would be the last time he'd ever go through those doors again. That thought actually began to make him sadder. He was putting one and two together and made everything harder on himself. If he were to step out the sliding door too early, he wouldn't be able to come back in, even if Akito wasn't there. The feeling of just entering it once again would make him feel glued to the contents of the house. One of them being Ms. Tohru Honda, his one and only love. Kyo walks towards the door and slips his fingers into the place where they were supposed to go; gently he tugged to the side. The mystifying darkness flooded into the house and dimmed the lights; so he had believed at least. At one of the slowest paces ever, his foot lifted up and dropped right past the threshold. By this time, Tohru and Shigure were coming downstairs slowly with grief filled expressions; only Tohru's face was true. Finally, he was standing just outside the house. As he began to glance back, he shakes his head and continues on forward, not wanting any reason to upset himself any further.

Tohru watches him drop down the two short steps and stand still as he stared at the forest. He really was going to leave. There was no stopping him, not that it was his idea to be locked up in the first place. The thought of him not fighting back to regain his freedom seemed absurd, especially since fighting was one of his greatest passions, but he clearly wasn't going to unleash his anger this time. He was ready to be hit with whatever was thrown at him, even if it is the cold, steel coated room he was to be locked in.

She saw him look at the ground, even though she was a good forty feet away from him at the foot of the staircase within Shigure's house. Tohru put her hands to her lips and covered her mouth. She had to keep her mouth shut, or at least muffled if she were to burst out with pleading words. All she could do now… was attempt o support him from afar. Not that she could even do that though. But for the time that she can see him –even if it is from this long a distance- she had to have faith that one day she will be capable of releasing Kyo somehow. She'd try anything and everything just to help him at this point. After all they've been through over then years she's lived in this house.

Suddenly, the wind picked up and she was beginning to see Kyo's hair floating around elegantly in the gusts of air. By the way he was standing, he looked to be relaxed, but his mind was telling him the complete opposite. One more minute and his fate would be sealed by a person who would soon be revealing themselves in front of him, showing him the way to the Sohma Estate.

After that whole minute passed, the wind completely died down, leaving Kyo's hair in whatever position it was in when it was gusty. A woman walks out from the path into the forest, staring at Kyo from a safe distance. "It seems…. that you're coming without making a fuss?" Akito says watching Kyo mildly nod and stare at the ground. Full of sorrow, he takes a couple steps in the direction of Akito knowing that she'd either go over there and drag him along or he'd have to come willingly.

Tohru's teeth were grinding together, not that she even realized it though.

He was a couple of steps away from Akito before she grabbed hold of his hair and threw him to the ground just before the entrance of the forest. Kyo dared not to grumble in pain or curse under his breath, all he knew was that he hadn't done anything to deserve that but he let it slide anyways.

A thrust rammed against his ribs and he dropped onto his belly gasping in utter pain. Akito was standing over him laughing proudly at what she had done to him. "Do you like that pain my dear monster?" She questions, kneeling down at the end where his head is. "Dare I remind you that you will feel even more pain while you're locked up." Akito glances up after saying this as if she were shooting Tohru and Yuki death glares. Then at the sight of Katsuro she stammered to her feet and her face looked a little calm, but the anger was still flaring in her eyes. Quickly, trying to avoid any further eye contact with Katsuro, she looks down at Kyo and beckons, "Get up…we're leaving…"

Yuki had caught the expression that Akito sent at Katsuro and began to fall through his thoughts in pure confusion. **_Was…she… Did Akito actually seem afraid of Katsuro? He's only around eleven or twelve years old, just like Kisa and Hiro. What's… how many secrets does Akito really have?_**

How many things can you have laid upon your mind? Is there a way to have no confusion within your thoughts when you're contemplating about more then one thing? Can you have that pure sense of composure? The things people ponder about sometimes come out the opposite of what they believed it would actually be. Nonetheless, it will happen, no matter how much you dodge it, you'll see it happen right in front of you. **_Can I just…ignore it for now? Maybe… I can use Katsuro as a way to release Kyo….for Tohru's sake. But… why's Akito afraid of him? How much longer does she have left to live? Will… me bringing Katsuro with me one-day play into Akito's hands. It'll be like me handing over a revolution in Dai Hin Min, I can ruin it for all of us._**

Kyo staggers to his feet and looks at Akito curiously, his rib cage still echoing in pain. But before Kyo could look back, Akito had her hand on the back of his neck, nails digging into his skin a little. He staggers forward and starts walking down the trail, Akito's fingers clenched around his neck as tightly as ever.

**XxX**

All she was able to do was watch him walk away. She had to stand idly by and not say so much as a single word that would involve any sort of interference. There was nothing she could do or say anyway. Any word that she might have said would have either angered Akito further or make Kyo sadder. Things in life that pull the ones you love a part happen for a reason. They bring you to other things, the things in life that you never knew you needed. Tohru began to remember something her mother told her when she was younger. She had asked why she didn't have many friends like all the other children, and her mother had flatly replied, _'The time will come where you have more friends then you can even count. Everything happens for a reason, hun. You just have to wait a little longer then others, because their friendship is temporary, yours will be long term –a lifelong friendship.'_ Her mother was right about that. But, why was she being forced to give up someone that was practically her life.

Yuki turns to look at Tohru and he gently places his hand on her shoulder. "Its okay Honda-san…" clearly he was going back to not saying her first name, "He'll be fine…just…" he couldn't finish the sentence, anything he'd say would probably make her relive some sort of memory that he doesn't know about.

She blankly nods and faces Yuki sadly. Suddenly she became aware that five other people were still standing in the same room as herself. Shigure, Haru, Katsuro, Kisa, and Hiro were looking at her consolingly. In an instant, Kisa and Katsuro were hugging her legs, not wanting to let go of her. They needed to help her regain her cheerfulness, her love, and warm compassion. The two children couldn't stand seeing her sad, and to be completely honest, they were missing Kyo also; even Kisa was and she didn't have the best relationship with him. Kisa knew that Kyo cared about almost everyone he was around but he wasn't good at showing it. She knew that Tohru had an extremely good reason to miss him as much as she does.

Tohru knelt down and caught them both in a hug. She didn't want to be sad anymore. She had to get over it, just for the time being, only when she is around others that want her to be happy and full of ecstatic joy.

Gradually, Haru approaches Tohru and places his hand on her head while standing behind her. She opens her eyes since they were closed the moment she hugged the two children that she cared for deeply. Turning a little she looks up at Haru and smiles a little. "Tohru…. please feel better soon. And…ignore the fact that he's gone. I promise, you wont be sad for much longer… you can count on me helping Kyo. I have a lot to repay him for…" his voice trailed off after every few words. Then, he walks away from them, waving slightly at Yuki as he leaves the house through the front door –which was still open- that Kyo went through.

She couldn't quite understand what Haru had meant by everything he said, but she knew the only thing she could do was trust him. Slowly, she un-embraced the two kids and smiles at them gently, standing up at a very slow rate. Katsuro and Kisa looked at her softly and then hurried upstairs with Hiro and began to play tag and all different other games in the bedroom that was completely empty; the one that was once Kyo's.

Meanwhile downstairs, Yuki, Shigure, and Tohru stood together silently. Then, at the same exact time, they all opened their mouths and said, "Did you understand what Haru meant by him helping Kyo?" the only thing different about the sentence was that Tohru added the suffix 'kun' at the end of Kyo's name.

Each of them stared at each other until Yuki opened his mouth to voice his opinion. He had the feeling he knew what Haru really meant.

* * *

**Hope you all enjoyed! I love you all! My reviewers' rock! Woot! Well, please continue to read!**


	6. Haru's Driven Persistence

**Chapter 6: Haru's Driven Persistence**

* * *

**I didn't notice I put suffix until I submitted the chapter and you pointed it out. See…it stinks when you're American and not Japanese…. you get the words honorific and suffix mixed up. '' Nonetheless, here is Chapter 6!

* * *

**

Yuki allowed the words to pour out carefully as if by saying the wrong thing the letters would spill all over the place and stain their minds. "He is determined to release Kyo because he believes that he doesn't deserve what is happening to him. Haru…." He sighs a little and rubs his forehead out of aggravation, "as we all know, has a bad sense of direction, and Kyo always showed him where the bathroom was, and where everyone's houses' were. It was quite a nuisance. But, Kyo continued to put up with it and drag Haru around. Clearly, he is grateful for this and wants to repay Kyo any way he possibly can, even if it means sacrificing his own freedom just to do the right thing." As he finished speaking he found Tohru and Shigure staring at him, slightly dumbfounded, yet understanding everything he had said.

The first thing that came out of her mouth was, "But…Haru-kun…. he might get hurt. They could both get hurt if he does something wrong…" Her voice trailed off after she had spoken. She couldn't believe what she was saying. It sounded as if she had no faith in Haru's capabilities, but that wasn't true was it? She completely considered the fact that he could do whatever he set his mind to. Then again, everything can't go the way she wanted; the way he wanted. All Tohru could do at the moment was think about the things Yuki had just said. Analyzing every aspect of his explanation to what Haru meant, she finally realized that if Haru were to go **black **while confronting his task, he could possibly achieve anything. The thing was, though, would he incidentally hurt Kyo, just out of pure anger.

There was so much to think of; just pondering about every thing that had even the slightest importance made your head ache. Tohru suddenly scratched the upper half of her left arm and held her arm gently, staring at the ground now. Was there even a way to do anything? She asked this as if she hadn't already attempted to get an answer to that question. Tohru continued to wonder about the things most significant to her and the things she wanted.

As if the answer had just landed right at her shoe-covered feet, she dropped her arms to her side and hurried upstairs, taking two steps at a time; this was most unusual for someone like her. Skidding to a slippery stop she takes a quick hold of the empty room's doorknob and keeps herself on her feet delicately. Her now sweaty palms twisted the bronze knob and she found herself pushing it open. By this time the children were playing cheerfully in Katsuro's bedroom that was just beside Tohru's; it connected together as a joint bedroom, but the door could only be opened with a key. They always knocked when one another wanted to gain entrance. Walking into Kyo's former room, she looks around at the complete emptiness. She felt a hole form in her heart, like the last parts of Kyo were finally torn from her. Then, she found herself looking at the closed closet. Walking to it slowly she pulls the doors to the sides to open it. On the ground, laying limply, was a photograph. It was the one she had slipped into his bag. He clearly took it out and left it here intentionally. The only thing that came to mind when seeing this was, **_He doesn't want to remember me… he's pretending he never knew me isn't he? Kyo-kun…._** She thought all of this without even reconsidering. It was all that she allowed into her thoughts at the moment, it's as if her mind wouldn't allow her to take any other facts into account.

She dropped to her knees weakly and her back slammed against the open closet door. After wincing a little, she ignored the tingling pain that was running wildly up and down her back. Tohru took hold of the photograph a couple moments later and gazed at it. The picture had captured the rare smile that Kyo produced only around Tohru, even though Yuki was with them in the picture.

**XxX**

The darkness in the sky made everything feel cold. The hairs on Kyo's arms were standing upright and he began to get the goose bumps. It made him look like he was frightened of Akito, and that was probably the last emotion he was feeling. Many minutes had passed since they exited the house and trudged through the creaky forest. Kyo looked across the street and found himself eyeing the entrance to the Sohma Estate where all the inner Sohma's resided. His body was thrusted forward and before he could react he had rammed into a solid iron gate. He cursed under his breath after a few moments of gasping for air. Hearing Akito laugh vigorously Kyo groans in annoyance. The strongest emotion in him at the time was hatred. Hatred towards Akito and her objectives. Anger towards how much she was intent on tearing him and Tohru apart. Abruptly, he slams his fist against the gate and for an instant, his knuckles rang and his hand became numb. No sooner then a minute later he was screaming in excruciating pain.

She approached him and her hand rested on his head. After rubbing his head a little, her fingers sifted through his hair and she took tight hold. Kyo yelps and his hands instantly leapt up and grabbed her wrist trying to pry her hand off his scalp. Akito pulls him to his feet, ignoring the scraping of his fingernails against her hand. As fast as it could, the gate opened quietly making it give the illusion of gliding across the grass. She continued to drag him along, across the dirt trail that ran throughout the Estate. Of course there was streets though so that those who had cars could drive out of the gated Estate.

Moments later, Akito approaches an old, rundown building that actually made Kyo shiver when he caught sight of it. Her free hand grasped the long doorknob and she pushed it down. The sound of releasing locks filled the air and she yanked the door open instantly. He stared into it and caught site of it and he's soon pushed in out of nowhere by Akito. Just as the door began to slam shut, he could hear the faint laughter of joy coming directly from Akito.

There was nothing inside the room, just as it was empty when he came and retrieved Tohru from captivity. The walls were covered with torn sheets now instead of the steel panels being visible. He quickly glanced at the window and soon realized that trying to make an escape wouldn't work. The windows had cold, rough steel bars covering them perfectly. The bars locked almost onto the window, it was practically impossible to plan an escape from this dark sanctuary. He turned around and pressed his hands against the door. The moment he did this his hands began to burn from the extreme cold the door produced. His body had been lukewarm before touching the icy cold, so now he felt as if he were going to suffocate. He couldn't believe how cold it really was in the room. In seconds he dropped forward onto his knees, and soon, onto his stomach.

The panels on the ground were purely made out of wood, but no splinters were able to take form at any time since the carpenters had sanded it. He stared blankly at the wall with the only window. The only light that seeped into the room was from the faint moonlight, and it was getting in through one of the less crowded bars. His hand out stretched a little toward that direction, fingers pulled out so it wasn't in a fist. It looked as if he were trying to grab the lessening light. He couldn't allow it to depart and leave him in the darkness. Nobody would be nearby to care for him as Tohru had. "I… want to see her face again…. even if it is from the bars at the window. Even if….it makes me sad…" his voice leaked across the floor and he dropped his arm to the ground. The spot he was lying on was where he was probably going to fall asleep. "I'm…. sorry…. I didn't…take the picture…. Toru…" he spoke, not realizing that he had said her name wrong.

Akito stayed outside the building for quite a while hopping that he would be calling desperately for help. Those cries didn't happen and she sighed a little, walking off toward the house that Kureno lived in with her, that she actually called home. Her hand dropped into the spot where she could open it, and she slid it across the sliding rails. Entering quietly, she slides the door shut, and walks toward her bedroom.

Opening that door, she enters and began to take her kimono off.

"I wouldn't do that just yet Akito…." The voice sounded a little raspy, but dead set on doing something.

She pulled the kimono back over her completely and tied it so it wouldn't open by itself. Akito peered, her eyes slicing through the darkness like a knife through a cake. When she saw that it was Haru, she was caught by complete surprise. Approaching him progressively Akito notices a smug grin on his face and a quick glare formed in her eyes. "What are you doing here you insignificant ox?" Akito questions trying to voice her authority over the Juunishi as well as the entire Sohma family. Another question sprang from Akito's mouth, "Where's Kureno!" she bellowed as if talking louder would make everything sound clearer.

Haru shot her a soft grin and got up from the chair he was sitting in. Walking towards Akito he stops after he reached her. Looking down at her a little to try to make eye contact, he whispers, "I'm guessing you already caged in Kyo… The new, more crowded bars were installed so that not even machines can break them apart huh?" He says this like he is trying to get information out of Akito. For the first time ever, Akito seemed to be shuddering, more or less cowering in fear of Haru. The last time they encountered each other she was left on the ground after being struck. "Do you have any idea how wrong it is to lock up a human being as if they were an animal? You know, it'd make people think you're experimenting on him. Testing out new, messed up things on how to…._ extend_ your life." He put emphasis on the word 'extend' as he spoke to not let her forget that he knew about her short lifetime. She grimaced slightly and shot her attention to the ground not wanting to even look at someone less superior then herself.

"You have no right being in here and assaulting me once again." Her voice was sturdy and firm as she spoke trying to show Haru that she wasn't afraid of him like it looked like she was. A small smile crept across Hatsuharu's face and before long he mumbled something and slipped his hand under her chin, lifting her head up a little so that they can meet eyes once again. "Looking at you doesn't frighten me you dumb cow!" Her own grin appeared and before long she brought her hand up and tried to slap him as hard as she could. But, with strangely fast reflexes, Haru catches her by the wrist and glares at her. "Let- Me- Go!" Each word came after trying to pull away from him.

Shaking his head, he spoke quietly, "You have no right to hit me…" He said this and tried to mock Akito.

"I HAVE ALL THE RIGHT TO HIT YOU!" She roars and tries to hit him once again.

This time his other hand caught that wrist. He held her arms over her head and glares. "Try to strike me again and you'll regret it."

Her attention was on something else though. She was looking at her closet out of the corner of her eye and found a pair of eyes looking back her in fright. Akito looks at Haru more slowly so that he doesn't catch her wondering eyes. "You will regret even coming here, Haru. Mark my words if you like."

"I'm sure I will…." His voice trailed off and he began to exit the room until he remembered something. As he went back to grab the door handle he found it lock and screaming was coming from the inside. "RIIIIIIIN!" He exclaims pounding his fists against the door. The yelling of pain grew louder by the second and tears were splashing out of both pairs of eyes. There was one last yelp and then complete silence had befallen them. "RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN!" He yells once more and drops to his knees at the door. Haru pounded lifelessly against the door over and over again to no prevail.

The sound of yelling and screaming had awakened Kyo and he looked around the dark room slowly. Gathering himself up, he walks to the barred-window silently and peers out it trying to catch a glimpse of something. But the only thing he saw was the light in Akito's bedroom on and something stained across her curtains at her window. More pounding was being heard as well as desperate cries. It sounded as if it was Haru calling, but he wasn't quite sure. And for all he knew the stains on Akito's curtains were from some kind of nasty food that she eats. The last word he heard before realizing what had actually happened was the cry of Rin's name. At that moment, he knew something had happened and Akito caused it. He dropped his head against the bars gently and rolled his eyes up a little to keep his attention outside, sorrow slowly consuming his heart.

* * *

**I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter...as if clearly took my a while due to all the homework I've been having to do. Please continue to Read & Review! Tell me whatcha think!**


	7. Sorrow In The Sohma Estate

**Chapter 7: Sorrow in The Sohma

* * *

**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Furuba.**

**Here is chapter 7. I hope you all enjoy. Tell me whatcha think. R&R. Sorry it took so long

* * *

**

Haru continued tearing his fists gently at the door, no longer having the strength to rip a hole through it. Tears dripped down on his cheeks and onto his black pants. Akito was still laughing from within her bedroom and Haru just begins to grimace at the thought of what Akito may have done to Isuzu.

There was not the slightest sound that made Haru reassured. All he knew was that she was knocked unconscious…or worse. He wasn't able to stand this any more. He was mentally forcing himself to come up with any idea possible. When nothing came to him he furiously slams his fist through the door, splintering the wood all over the place. Akito, from inside the bedroom, became startled instantly, and staggers backwards trying to get as far as she possibly can away from Haru. His hand flipped open and he reached around the door, groping for the doorknob. Feel the cold touch his hand, he grasps it and turns the knob, opening the door gently.

He gets up from his knees, finally standing on his feet again. Entering the room he looks around and sees blood all over the once welcomingly cozy carpet. "Where is she!" he demands angrily approaching Akito.

Akito looks down and then back up at him, a fierce grin across her face. "Do you not remember the message I had Kureno relay to everyone? Especially to you and Rin." He gives her a questioning stare leaving her open to continue. "You know…. the one where he told you that you were not to be anywhere near Rin and she was not to be anywhere near you. Do you realize how many times you have broke this little law?" She questions roughly, stepping towards him with out any fear. Haru's eyes shake as they gradually became glazy from him holding back his tears.

"What'd…. you do to her?" he looks at the ground as he mutters this. It was much less demanding then the last time he spoke.

"I….put her to sleep." Akito says flatly, her hands at her hips.

Haru looks up instantly. His eyes were full of horror. He couldn't believe what Akito said; she spoke it so calmly that she was making it sound like a good thing. Haru quickly spins around and runs to the closet. Opening it swiftly he sees Isuzu's motionless body lying there. Blood was dripping from her forehead, cheek, arms, nose, lip, and almost everywhere else. Quickly, he kneels down at her side and lifts up her limp body and holds her close to him. She was drenched in her own blood and it was leaking all over his own clothes, yet he didn't care about any of that. The only thing on his mind was **_I have to help Rin._** Haru lifts her to her feet slowly holds her in his arms. Turning to look at Akito, he launches an angry glare at her and leaves the room, as well as the entire house.

Kyo looks out the window and winces trying to get a good look at who was walking out of the house. All he knew was that whoever it was, there was blood dripping from the object in the person's arms. He couldn't discern who the people were but no matter what, it was definitely a cause for worry. All he could really say to himself was, **_Akito did this… That little bitch. Toying with people's lives. I…just hope it's no one I know._** He couldn't bear to think these kinds of things right now. Kyo was getting more and more eager by the second as the person trudged along in the distance. The blood was leaving a lengthy, yet extremely slim trail. His fingers wrap around the bars as best as they can, since the bars were practically right up against the window, he was having a hard time grasping the cold ingots. He pulls away from that area and bustles across the room, skidding to a stop at the bolted shut door. Glaring at it passionately, he takes hold of a padlock and rotates it in many different directions, even if it was beginning to seem impossible.

Haru stumbles once or twice but keeps cleave-to on Rin's ghostly body. She continues to permit the opening and closing of her eyes, steadily leasing them the time to flicker open. But the moment her eyes were wide, they'd instantly shut like a door. The increasing worry in Haru's body was becoming exasperating. He can't stand it any more. And finally, he steps forward, and looks around, coming to a slow halt. The sound of more pounding –similar to his own- fills his ears like a ringing bell. Gently, he kisses Rin's forehead and slowly –ever so carefully- rests her body on the crumbling sidewalk that hasn't been cared for in years. Glancing to the right, as well as the left, he catches a short glimpse of a rattling door coming from a rundown shack - which began to look extremely familiar. He couldn't make sense of it. Then, indecisively, he runs over to the door and peeks through a crevice just a couple inches over the doorknob.

The tattered clothes he could see began looking just as familiar as the hovel. He wasn't able to make any conclusions upon who it was, but felt the rumbling of the doorknob upon his cheek as he continues peeking in. Then, it came to him the clothes were that of a young man. The one he told Tohru he would save. It had hardly been a day and Kyo's clothes were torn everywhere. Clearly, Akito had beaten him many times since dragging him all the way to the Sohma Estate. But, something inside Haru was keeping him from dismissing Kyo from his so-called 'cage'. It was no vendetta. No –nowhere near that- it was the fact that the dying soul of Rin was resting upon a decaying sidewalk that made him rethink his actions. His voice shook the door softly after Kyo had stopped the rapping against the wood sections of the door, "I'll…be right back Kyo." His words made Kyo fall backward with a thump, landing on his butt.

He hurries back to Rin and hoists her up onto his shoulder. Carrying her toward the main gate of the Sohma Estate, he threatens the men their so that they open it. Sprinting down the sidewalk just past the gate, Haru eventually comes close to the shouting distance of the hospital. He yells loudly, "GET OVER HERE NOW!" His legs were getting weak and he wasn't going to permit them to give out until he knew Isuzu was in the proper care of the nurses and doctors. The people that are employed at this hospital knew her, as well as her needs, incredibly well. This was the most comforting thing he was able to think of at the moment. **_Please…. God…let her…be…. be…. be...safe._** Haru's mind suddenly goes blank and he collapses to the ground, Rin as safe as possible on his shoulder.

Many shouts of assistance are heard in his weak state. He was able to hear them and got the feeling that they were too far away. Though they weren't really far at all, but at their sides in the hospital. He couldn't hear their words nearly as clear as he wanted to but caught snippets of sentences.

"…. she's in critical condition. We'll have to pray she makes it through."

"…maybe she got hit with something? Does she have any sort of suicidal records? Maybe-"

The moment he let the words sink into his mind, he let his body bolt upright in anger. His eyes lock on the nurse that had accused Rin of being suicidal. "It's nothing like that!" He exclaims roughly, thrusting his arm to the side, soon realizing how much he was going to regret it. His little tangent had yanked a cord loose and they had to take their time away from Isuzu to quickly repair it before he was to threaten his own existence.

After the cord was hooked back into a life support system, he glances at Rin's lifeless body on the bed about ten feet to the side of his own. He stares at her, tears swelling up in his eyes. Quickly, he wipes them away and closes his eyes tightly, no longer wishing to see the pain Akito had inflicted upon Rin.

**XxX**

The phone rang delicately, its soft sound ringing throughout the soundless house. Shigure groans as he exits his workroom/bedroom. His hand reaches forward and slips across the phone. After fumbling with the phone and cord, he picks it up and listens to what was being said. He couldn't believe his ears. "This…is…sudden. I'll be there as fast as I can." As tired as his voice depicted, he was anxious to hurry down to the hospital to see how severe Isuzu's injuries really were.

Upon deciding to do that, Shigure exits the house wearing a formal outfit. He runs down the path through the forest and towards the hospital Rin and Haru were staying at until they heal.

He grasps the silver doorknob and an awkward expression crosses his face as though he was watching the cool silver drip silently into a milky liquid. Nonetheless, he pulls open the door and runs into the hospital, gathering the information on where they were being kept and their current condition. Haru was in stable condition. On the other hand, Rin was continuing to keep her status at critical condition. This was beginning to worry not only Haru and Shigure, but also the doctors and nurses that had nursed her back to health the last time she was there.

Rin hardly was moving when Shigure slowly entered the room. He looks at her blankly and shakes his head, full of utter sorrow. He honestly couldn't believe how bad she looked. These injures were actually very serious. It seemed to Shigure that, she was not going to ever recover and be bandaged for the rest of her life. This, of course, was a horrible thing to think, but Shigure freely thought it to himself anyway.

He was the only Sohma to show up other then Hatori who was a doctor, so it didn't really make him count as another Sohma at the moment. Shigure sits down at a chair slowly between both hospital beds and glances back and forth between the motionless bodies of his relatives.

**XxX**

The morning finally arose. Tohru woke up on the floor of Kyo's old bedroom. Between the time Shigure had left and until an hour before she awoke, she was switching rooms in her sleep. Her body was unable to decide where it wanted to be. First, it thought it wanted to be closest to Kyo as it possibly could. And then, she'd come to a decision in her dreams that she was to not go near Kyo's room, only to go back in there at least an hour later.

The bedroom door cracked open and Yuki popped his head in cheerfully. "Breakfast Honda-san?" He offers, holding a pan in his hand. Tohru couldn't figure out what was in the pan. Was it chicken? Or maybe left over rice? Maybe it was bacon and eggs? Either way, Yuki burned the food so badly that you wouldn't know what it was even if he told you.

Her appetite vanished but she accepted a piece of the charcoal-like bacon. She began to pray with each bite, hoping that it wouldn't be the last thing she'd ever do. _(**A. N**: Consider yourself lucky if you take a bite out of that food and live, most people don'tUnless you're like Shigure and Kyo…_ She swallows with large gulps believing that if she did this, the horrible taste would be vanquished. Tohru gets up from her lying down position on the floor and stands, walking toward the door, leaving Yuki standing where she once sat.

"Shigure left. I don't know where he went." Yuki says randomly.

Tohru turns around competently and looks at Yuki with a curious expression. "I wonder where Shigure-san went off to…." Her voice trails off smoothly; it practically put Yuki into a trance. She calls his name a couple times and waits for him to snap out of it. After he does so, she smiles at him –falsely- and exits the bedroom, staggering down the stairs, step-by-step.

Her foot touches the leveled floor of the house and the phone rings instantly. She turns and looks at it, then sighs quietly, approaching the stand the phone sat on. Tohru reaches, and takes hold of the receiver, lifting it up to her ear and listening attentively. Minutes pass and she finally hangs up the phone. By this time, tears were strolling down her cheeks.

Yuki walks down the steps and looks at her. "What's wrong?" he asks sounding worried.

"Isuzu-chan…. she's…dead." Her voice shook with pain –with fear. She couldn't believe her own words and neither could Yuki.

* * *

**And, Chapter 7 comes to a close! Woohoo! I hope you all enjoy! Please _Read_ and _Review_**


	8. Awakening

**Chapter 8: Awakening

* * *

**

**If anyone has any questions about aaaaaanything that has to do with the fanfic ask them in the review. Say stuff you like, don't like I don't mind. But, R&R it makes me happy…and…it makes me feel like I'm typing for a very good reason. (I love writing stories nonetheless) ENJOY!

* * *

**

Tohru knocks the telephone off the desk and watches it rush to the ground by the force of gravity and smash on impact. She normally wasn't use to showing her anger but this was an exception. Someone she knew was physically taken from her by another person. The sad thoughts slowly rush through her head and she shakes her head, looking down gently.

Yuki walks closer to her and places his index finger under her chin and gradually lifts her head up to meet her familiar tear-filled eyes. He starts to feel anger towards this sight. He hated when she felt pain, may it be mentally or physically. This wasn't right on any type of level, for a young one such as Tohru to feel so much regret –so much pain- inflicted from one person. Akito was going to pay one-way or another; Yuki was planning to get revenge. Not only did he lose a family member that he was slowly getting closer to, but by losing that person –Rin- it caused Tohru to be unhappy, and that –most of all- he didn't like seeing.

More tears drip down Tohru's face and she falls limply into Yuki's arms. He gratefully places his arms around her and holds her in an embrace. His mind wasn't on anything but comforting her. Calming the young lady he so dearly loved was his main objective at this point. He lifts his hand and places it on the back of her head, running his fingers through the back of her silky smooth hair, allowing it to slip between his pale skin.

She buries her head in his chest, her hands on his shoulders. Tohru couldn't believe what she was doing, but she needed some kind of support. So much was going on in her life that she couldn't help but recall the fun-filled times she'd spent in this house. It came to mind that Shigure clearly left to be at Rin's side in her time of need. She wasn't able to comprehend that it was actually Shigure who called the house and informed her on the dreadful news. Tohru wasn't thinking clearly, everything she thought was instantly becoming cloudy and she didn't know why. However, to reassure herself, she told her things like, **_Isuzu-chan is going to a safe place. A place where she can be watched over. In the heavens right? With mom… she'll be safe wont she? Mother…you'll take care of her…please… take care of her. She's oh-so missed…some can't live without her._** Her mind goes on hold and then, after a second, she recollects herself and says, **_She'll be in the heavens. I pray that Haru-kun and Shigure-san can cope with the loss. As well as Yuki..,_**

She pulls away from Yuki's grasp and smiles slightly at him. "I don't like how things are turning out Yuki-kun…" her voice was raspy and throbbing with pain, but the sorrow was a clear as day. Her hands slip down his chest and she turns around sadly. Looking down, the tears pour off her cheeks and to the ground in clumps of water leaving darker spots on the wood floor where it was damp with tears. It was impossible not to recognize her pain, but Yuki's attempts at making her feel any better came nowhere near to being effective. Though, his consolations didn't make it any worse. Her body shifts to the right for a moment, then she lands on her left foot and turns around almost startling herself. "I… want to go to the hospital to be with Shigure and the others that have gone there." Tohru says this sounding a little more decisive. He nods and agrees to accompany her.

They exit the house quietly, leaving the children in the care of Kunimitsu who they had called to ask of his assistance. Obviously he agreed.

**XxX**

Making their way out of the forest they power walk toward the hospital that was caring for Rin and mourning over her death. Entering the hospital cautiously they run up the steps not wanting to take the elevator. Quickly, Yuki thrusts the hospital room's door open and they cross the threshold into the room.

Tohru's jaw instantly drops down in pure shock. The injuries that were visible on Rin's body were hideous. There was no part of her body that was being concealed by a blanket of any sort. The nurses were too busy examining every single scrape on her body -leaving her in no clothing- to notice Yuki and Tohru intruding rightfully.

A male doctor was sitting in the corner of the room so that he wouldn't violate any of Rin's morality even though she had passed away. He glances at Tohru and Yuki and assumes the standing position. Walking over to them, his back to Isuzu's pale blue body, he places a weak, greeting smile on his face. No doubt he was upset and, or had been crying for quite some time. His eyes were puffy and red and for some reason suited his stocky posture. He was fairly chubby, but his height made up for that negative attribute. The doctor looks down at Tohru and Yuki and sighs. "You must be friends of Mrs. Isuzu…" he whispers, voice trailing off as he sniffles.

"I'm a relative. Yuki Sohma." He states firmly, not feeling the least bit of intimidation toward the man's colossal height.

Tohru rubs her nose in a circular motion and puts her hands behind her back, and bows slightly. "I'm Tohru Honda…" Her voice fades off as well. Not only was she timorous of the man's large height, but she was also overly upset.

The doctor sighs a little and trying to sound calm he says, "It's a sad thing. We don't know how she sustained those injuries. What we can identify is that the cause of her death was because of the injuries." The tone in his voice was expressing that of someone who didn't believe the wounds were self-inflicted. Slowly he lifts his hands up and places them upon Yuki and Tohru's shoulders. "Again…I'm very sorry." He whispers to them and walks back to his seat in the corner, sitting patiently.

Looking around the room, Tohru walks toward Rin's bed a little and shakes her head as more wounds become visible to her eyes. Glancing to the side she sees Haru's motionless body. Tohru grabs a doctor that was near Haru's bed and whispers frantically, "Is Haru-kun okay!" her voice was slightly demanding and full of worry. She couldn't bear to lose three people in two days. That would be such a horrible thing.

The free doctor just shook his head, slightly smiling, and says quietly, "He's in a mild coma. He should be waking up in due time." He nods as he sees Tohru let loose a sigh of relief. Walking back to Haru's bedside he watched a monitor that appears to measure the energy remaining in his life. It also graphed his heart rate as it soundly beats.

Tohru approaches Haru's lifeless body. She immediately incases her hand in his even though there were all sorts of things taped on it. A weak smile crosses her face as she watches his breathing regulate. In a seconds notice, her hand was flatly pressing against his chest, feeling the pounding of his heart. Her smile grew wider as she sees his eyelashes begin to flicker.

A tear slips down Tohru's cheek and onto Haru's hand. He closes his hand around her's as much as he can wondering what was making her cry so suddenly. "Haru-kun…." Seeing that Tohru was about to breakdown in tears, Yuki makes the doctors leave the room allowing them to take Isuzu with them. Yuki locks the door. Once Tohru sees this she throws herself into Haru's arms, remaining seated in the chair she was in when she touched Haru's hand. He looks at her with a curious expression and realizes the trembling of her body against his own. And then… within seconds he couldn't help but see that he had yet to transform. "She's…." Her voice words vanish because she was unable to speak the one thing she most dreaded.

"Dead…" Haru practically ends the sentence for her. "I was able to tell by the way you were shaking. Plus…why else would they transport her body so recklessly. It didn't make sense…ya know?" he replies to her sad, yet questioning look. As her mouth begins to open, he continues on, pulling out of her hug. "I'm fine…. Don't worry about me. I…I'll recover." The tone in his voice was incredibly false and left Tohru feeling even more distressed. He manages a soft smile and sighs sadly. "Regretfully…I wasn't able to save the woman I cared so deeply for…" After hearing this, even more tears ran down her face and she just watches them splash quietly against the hospital sheet that was covering Haru's body.

Slowly, he sits up and looks at Yuki with a sigh. "Akito did this…." He shudders a little as he speaks the hideous name. Tohru's eyes got wide the moment she heard the 'God's name. It was her that committed a crime and Haru was trying to put the blame on himself; at least…so it seems. "She beat Rin furiously…and…she locked the door. I wasn't allowed in. I was so weak…I couldn't knock down a damn door…" his voice was shaking so whenever he spoke it sounded as if he were stuttering. He groans and rubs his chest. Clearly that part of his body developed into an injury when he fell. "The only thing left I can do…. in order to see her face…again, I'll just have to continue dreaming."

His eyes open and he looks around, wincing a little. Everything was blurry by sight; the only thing he saw clearly was Tohru, and Yuki standing behind her. The first words to spill out of his mouth were, "Where's…. Rin? I need to talk to her. She's…" he groans in pain, "She's …okay right?" Haru asks curiously, the pain in his chest was from the time he fell trying to get Isuzu to the hospital.

Tohru wasn't able to believe her ears nearly as much as she would have liked. "It's not the same though Haru-kun! You may hurt yourself if you continue on. Dreaming about her I mean." She whispers to him frantically.

He just plainly smiles, "You shouldn't worry. It's probably better that I dream… then risk the life of others…just by hanging out with them. I find it much easier to have pleasant, undisturbed dreams anyway." Haru was acting so calm about this. He didn't appear as if he were going to tear the place apart. His mind was at ease, but…Tohru found this hard to agree with.

**_How's he so calm about this? Everyone knew he loved Isuzu-chan so much he'd risk his life for her. How could he even think to dream about her every night and cause himself pain? Was Haru even able to hold that kind of consciousness? _**Tohru contemplates, pushing her index finger against her forehead. Haru and Yuki just stare at her in slight confusion.

**_Is she trying to push her thoughts back or something?_** Haru asks himself only to gain a massive headache.

**_Oh no… is she trying to move her brain again?_** Yuki sighs and rubs the back of his head in complete embarrassment. **_Thank god there's no doctor's in here,_** is all he can find himself saying while he glances at Tohru once more.

She stops and smiles, her dry tears making her face shine a little in the light. Haru slaps her arm and she shakes her head, apparently snapping back into reality. Yuki and Haru sigh a little and look at Tohru. "Haru…. I…. I suppose you can just do whatever you like. I… hope you are okay. Please continue dreaming on." Her smile radiated and began to make Haru feel much better. He returns the kindness by plainly smiling back since he wasn't exactly use to this kind of thing.

"Let's go Tohru. We should get to the Sohma Estate to prepare…for…" he glances at Haru and groans on the inside, "her funeral." Tohru blankly nods and walks out of the room, waving to Haru. Walking to the bedside, he pats Haru on the shoulder. "Don't try anything foolish Hatsuharu…. We don't wanna lose you in anyway either." He adds before he exits the hospital room and leaves the hospital all together with Tohru at his side.

The entire way to the Sohma Estate, Tohru and Yuki were as silent as death and didn't so much as make the slightest squeal. None of the passerby's heard anything. Not the slightest squeak, even if they almost trip or stagger or anything.

Finally, they reach the front gate and wait for it to creak open. It was only two days since Kyo was locked up and so much was already changing. Yuki and Tohru enter the compound and search for Hatori's house, or any house that was owned by someone that Yuki knew or recognized. After a couple minutes of exploring the complex, Yuki knocks firmly against a wooden door that had all the animals of the zodiac, including the cat, carved into it.

The door gradually opens and a woman's head peaks out of it and sighs seeing Yuki. "Did Akito-san summon you here Yuki?" She asks tiresomely. Her hand lifts up and reaches out through the crevice, touching his shoulder. Yuki sidesteps and lets her hand drop off his shoulder. He stares at her, half glaring. "Don't catch an attitude with me young man!" She booms roughly, revealing herself by throwing the door wide open. She was adorned with a bright red, velvet dress and rings covering her fingers, as well as white gold necklaces around her neck.

Tohru stares almost in awe at her until remembering how much her tone shifted to anger.

Yuki looks at her and growls under his breath. "What are you doing in this house...? You shouldn't be here. Go home!" He exclaims, taking giant step towards her, trying to seem intimidating.

She shakes her head and places her left hand upon her hip. Looking up at Yuki in a snobby fashion, she sighs quietly and locks her eyes on him as if he were a target. "Yuki… that is no way to talk to your mother."

* * *

**And there it is….the beginning of life without Rin now. Also, the end of Chapter 8. Hope you all enjoyed! .**


	9. Mourning In The Grand Estate

**Chapter 9: Mourning in the Grand Estate**

**

* * *

**

**I finally am ready to post chapter 9. I think it turned out really well! Hope everyone enjoys, this is the longest chapter I've typed for Kan Yume so far, but those who read all of Aikyou are probably use to it. Please tell me what you think _Read_ & _Review.

* * *

_**

Tohru looks at the woman curiously, she wasn't too old, but she was definitely one that was a mother. The annoyed expression on her face was unmistakable. She didn't want to see him and the feeling was mutual for Yuki. Their glaring went back and forth for consecutive seconds before Yuki splits the silence with a tone like a knife, "I don't even _consider_ you my mother. So, I can talk to you like dirt if I want." His mouth closed almost instantly after he spoke. Those words were bottled up for quite some time, he practically despised his mother, but nonetheless, was more polite to keep it all to himself.

A slight grin had crept across her face within a short minute. She looked as if she actually enjoyed what he said. "Yuki…you are so foolish. You know you can't treat me like dirt. Is that any way to treat a mother of any sort?" She questioned him curiously, stepping out of the house slowly.

Tohru steps forward slowly and looks at Yuki's mother sadly. "I'm…. sorry on Yuki-kun's behalf." She says this sadly and hesitantly. The feeling of intruding on their conversation suddenly made her feel the strong emotion of guilt. "Actually…I'm sorry for intruding…." Tohru looks down and sighs gently. Gradually her feet shuffle back so that she was standing where she originally was.

Yuki glances at Tohru sincerely and then stares back at his mother. "Just let me inside, okay?" He states firmly. After seeing his mother shake her head, Yuki speaks up once again, "I know it's being held here!" His voice was in an unexpected tone and it actually frightens both Tohru and Yuki's mother. It was as if they all heard a sonic boom.

Suddenly, his mother just nods and enters the house, leaving the door wide open, ignoring their existence as they enter. Yuki walks towards the kitchen, Tohru following close behind.

The first thing their eyes lay sight upon is the fact that almost every member of the Sohma Family was in the kitchen –as small as it was- except for Akito and Kureno. Then, with a deep sigh, she notices that Kyo was also absent from this sad event. Tohru looks at the ground, **_I can't believe they wouldn't let him out for something like this… Do they think he'll try to escape? _**Tohru sighs once more, **_That is what they think…_** A family priest was standing in a corner of the room talking to the Sohma Family members and consoling them. The door is suddenly heard slamming shut.

Each person turns around slowly to see Haru at the threshold of the kitchen. Instantly, Tohru hurries over to Haru to make sure he doesn't fall. "Haru-kun…" Tohru says almost breathlessly. "They said you wouldn't be out of the hospital for a week. You can't leave the day after you are put there!" She exclaims with the strongest sound of worry in her voice. All she receives as an answer though is a mere smile. If there was any distinct attributes that people easily notice about Haru is that his intentions are rarely ever clear. It's as if he is constantly speaking in strange riddles that no one understands until the last second.

"I came to make sure I'm here for Rin's burial. And…" he stops seeing all his distant relative's eyes on him. "To speak with Akito…" Haru clears his throat laboriously since it was extremely dry. He looks across the room at the priest and smirks slightly; "I thank you for coming here…" he speaks quietly, in a soft mutter actually.

Without any warning, Haru collapses and falls into Tohru's left arm that she currently has outstretched in case anything like this was to happen. She holds him up and then his body slips off her arm and he falls against her. Everyone in the room hears a gentle explosion that sounds like a _poof_. Most of them sigh knowing of the curse but the others continue staring in confusion. Yuki runs over to Tohru and they push Haru's weak cow form out of the room before the mist around him disappears revealing that form. After removing him from the kitchen and placing him in the bedroom that was being remodeled, Tohru and Yuki walk back into the kitchen practically gasping for air.

All eyes rest upon the both of them, wondering what they were doing when they left the kitchen area. "We had to bring Haru-kun to another room because he still isn't feeling well…" Tohru says quickly before Yuki was able to speak so much as a word. She looks at him and notices that he was having an even harder time taking in air.

Slowly, she approaches him and then stops in front of him. "Yuki-kun…are you alright?" Tohru asks as she remembers that he was born with breathing problems. He must have overexerted himself when he was pushing Haru to the other room. "Oh no…Yuki-kun!" She says half exclaiming and half whispering. "Here, I'll find Hatori-san. He'll be able to help you!" Tohru assures him and runs off into the group of Sohmas'. There were so many of them but Hatori was one of the easiest people to find, as he was the quietest person there. Gently, and tiredly, she grasps the side of his arm with her hand firmly, "Hatori-san…Yuki needs you." Tohru says to him faintly her face was flush red from doing all of this running and hurrying around.

He gets up attentively and follows Tohru to the spot in the kitchen Yuki was now sitting at. His back was up against he wall and his hand was clasping his shirt with difficulty. "Yuki…." Hatori says with a sigh. He grabs Yuki by the arm gently and pulls him to his feet. Draping Yuki's arm over his shoulders, Hatori reassures Tohru of his health and exits the house stealthy so that he was not to be noticed by wandering eyes.

Yuki sleeps at Hatori's house and Tohru ends up staying at the house with the rest of the Sohma family. The rest of the zodiac members, –Kisa, Hiro, Ritsu, Kagura, Ayame, Momiji, Shigure- came that night while Tohru was sleeping. As always, Kisa slept in the same area as Tohru, this time they didn't have a bed though, and they had to sleep on the floor.

**XxX**

The night falls over-head and passes just as quickly. Tohru finds herself rubbing her eyes and wondering where she was for a few seconds. After realizing she was within the same house as she was yesterday, she looks at Kisa's childish sleeping ways and smiles. **_I probably still sleep like that. _**Tohru laughs as she thinks about this and places her hand on Kisa's forehead gently. The little child's eyes open gradually and meet Tohru's. "Good morning Kisa-chan."

In that moment, Kisa was gluing herself to Tohru, hugging her as tightly as ever. Tohru hugs her back and smiles happily. That is probably the happiest she's felt since remembering some of the great times she had, all of the had Kyo in it, not one forgot him. "Good morning Onee-chan!" Kisa exclaims cheerfully as if she has been up all day. Again, a true smile crosses Tohru's face and her embrace on Kisa tightens a little, but not too much.

"I'm so happy to see you Kisa-chan. Even though it wasn't long ago that I saw you…" Suddenly, a tear slips down Tohru's cheek. The last time she remembers seeing her was the day Kyo began to leave. How horrible she felt now. **_Why am I getting like this…? I'm going to upset Kisa-chan at this rate…_** She tells herself this in order to calm down a little. Wiping the tears away gently, she pulls out of the hug slowly. "I'm going to go inside. Is everyone else here?" Tohru asks, rubbing her eyes much more now.

Kisa sees this and frowns a little. She began to get the feeling that she was crying a couple times while they were hugging. "Yes. Everyone's inside Onee-chan. Even Shigure oji-chan, Ayame oji-chan, and Hatori oji-chan is in an extra room treating both Yuki-san and Haru-san. I hope they're okay.

Tohru nods trying to get use to the fact that Shigure is her uncle as well as Ayame and Hatori. **_Thank god, Ayame-san and Shigure-san haven't influenced Kisa in any way. _**She smiles a little and gets up and before going inside she tells Kisa that she'll be right back.

Entering the living area of the house, she sees the members of the juunishi sitting on the couches. Even Hiro was a part of the conversation due to his intelligence in some matters. She was actually somewhat taken by surprise when she sees Yuki and Haru sitting on the couches as well, listening to everything. Clearly, the conversation was about Rin, how horrible it was, and what they should do about Akito's ruthlessness.

But before Tohru gets the chance to speak up, the Priest enters the room and says, "The burial is being held in a couple minutes. Please follow me." Obviously the Priest had already gathered up the rest of the Sohma family and all that was left was the Juunishi, who, he didn't have the slightest clue, could turn into animals. Kisa hurries out of the room following everyone. Tohru walks beside Kisa as they make their way out of the house and towards the cemetery within the Sohma Estate. It was a fairly long distance from what they could tell.

On the way to the cemetery, both Tohru and Haru take quick glances at the rundown shack. The sound of gentle pounding fill their ears and they fall behind. Tohru runs up to Haru and as she opens her mouth he speaks what she was about to say, "Kyo's in there. I know…I saw him the night Rin…was attacked. I was going to release him for you…but, I had to get Isuzu to the hospital first, I'm sorry." He adds the rest sadly hoping that he wouldn't be hated for his decision.

Tohru smiles gently, "Its okay Haru-kun. I…just want to see Kyo again. Soon, if I could." The fragments of sentences she spoke in were quite irritating but Haru couldn't blame her, so much was happening in her life it must have been unbearable.

Slowly, they break off from the bunch of people that were heading towards the cemetery, since some hung around trying to eat. Haru and Tohru jog over to the rundown cabin and glances through a couple crevices, gazing around for Kyo's body.

Tohru was the first to spot him. He was sitting in the corner of the room, a pitch-black corner that was likely to be full of spider webs and rats. She couldn't believe how he was being treated; like an animal. His clothes were torn all over, he was completely enveloped in soot, and there were scrapes on his face and arms. It made Tohru cry continuously.

**XxX**

The sound of crying fill his ears and he looks around curiously wondering where it was coming from. He shifts to his left, then to his right glancing around the dark room. Finally, the diminutive hole that light normally crept through was slightly dark. Getting to his feet weakly, he walks to the door and places his cut hand on it. Kyo looks at the holes and sees the hair of a young woman and a man with a tattoo across his upper arm. "T-Tohru…" his lips form the name. It was only a week. A week he's been in this rat hole and he was feeling the same joy as any one would if they were being released.

Hearing her name, she looks at the hole, lining her eye up with the crevice. At first, she was struck with surprise then a bright smile crosses her face. "Ky…Kyo…" more tears drip down her cheeks and she shakes her head, "I don't want you to be in here any more…I need you to come back to Shigure-san's house…" Her voice shakes a little more as she speaks, and Kyo smiles at her gently. It was clear that he was minimally injured, but he ignored whatever pain came to him.

"We're getting you out after the funeral." Haru says abruptly.

Kyo looks at the both of them in strong confusion and worry, "Who…who's funeral? What happened Haru!" he exclaims getting slightly angry.

Haru looks down and mutters, "Isuzu died. Akito killed her and…I tried to save her but it was too late."

This caught Kyo by pure surprise. He was sure that when Haru reached the hospital she was to be perfectly fine. But he was wrong. Akito was on a rampage and not one person was even attempting to stop it, not counting Haru. "That's crazy. How…how could Akito even do something like that? What happened to her being all 'I'm the God, and you will not do anything foolish or dangerous'? Isn't she supposed to be some kind of leader or something? She's a dumb ass. I hate her." Kyo says this, most of it random, but all of it was purely true. Akito was supposed to be helping them, not destroying their lives intentionally. It's not as though Akito accidentally hit Isuzu as much as she wanted until she were hanging on by a string of life.

Haru couldn't help but smile at Kyo's words. As serious as this occasion was, Kyo was saying all the things that were true, but it sounded so funny. He always seemed to speak foully of Akito without fear of being hit abusively. It truly was something amazing. For a person -in his condition- to be so full of life just by seeing two people he was able to recognize. The smile slowly vanishes into the air. Haru looks around momentarily and then sees a few people walking towards them from the direction of the cemetery, questioning them from afar about what they were doing near the little house. Turning back to door, he whispers, "We'll be back later, okay?" And before Kyo or Tohru had the chance to speak up, Haru was running, his hand clamped around Tohru's wrist. Apparently, Haru didn't wish for the people to get too close to them before they reached the cemetery.

Stopping at the people who were beckoning for them to come directly to the cemetery -so that they'd make it there before the sorrowful ceremony began- they stare breathless past them. Then, without warning, Haru and Tohru rush passed them, running as fast as they can toward the burial ground. Reaching it in moments, they enter through the gates and approach the large area that was being occupied by the mourning people of the Sohma Family.

There were so many that it began to make Tohru feel a little claustrophobic. Everyone's attire consisted of some kind of black, dull or vibrant. She couldn't believe she was at yet another funeral. The last one she was present at was that of her own mother. It was a horrible feeling and that same feeling was rapidly surging through her veins like a raging tsunami. Her and Haru push themselves through the crowd, Haru being very careful about whom he pushed past. When they stopped, they found a black casket in the center of the large throng. The front half was open revealing Rin's white face; her eyes were tightly shut, her mouth was closed into a frowning position, and her arms were folded across her chest.

Tohru stares at Rin's coffin momentarily then looks down. She was being overcome by the sadness. Everything was erupting from her core and she couldn't hold it back any longer. Dropping to her knees in an instant, she covers her face with her hands, crying into them loudly.

Yuki sees her and kneels down at her side, placing his hand on her back and rubbing up and down trying to comfort her. "Its okay Miss. Honda." He whispers soothingly.

The tears kept coming like they were never going to stop. It wasn't going to stop until the ceremony began and ended, so, Yuki helps her to her feet gently and places his arm under her's to keep her up.

A stout priest makes his way to a podium beside the casket. He blinks a couple times and raises his right arm a little. The red robe shown brightly in the glistening light as it greeted his movements happily. "Today is a very sad day. The loss of a loved one. Isuzu Sohma was loved by many and will be dearly missed by everyone. The heavens greatly welcome her into their sanctuary and embrace her with loving hugs. Her soul is safe with the spirits and she will be treasured by all Gods." He pauses and glances at the casket for a second, then gazes upon the thousands of people that circled him with sorrow. "Let your tears be your gate and allow them to pour out until it is wide enough to walk through. Allow everything to be washed away and begin on a new slate." Once again, he stops and a sad smile crosses his face. "Itamiru – I'm very sorry…" he announces quietly to the crowd.

The crowd was still in tears with the exception of a couple people. Surprisingly, one of the people that weren't in tears was Hatsuharu. But the others consisted of Akito and Kureno whose faces were so straight you'd think they were playing a game of poker. How lifeless they were. It made Hatori and Momiji sick to their stomachs. But, Tohru, Yuki, Haru, and the others have yet to realize that Akito and Kureno were present at this occasion.

Tohru's hand grips Yuki's arm tightly and she looks at him sorrowfully. "Yuki-kun… Why is it that I find myself losing people?" she asks gently, glancing back down at the ground.

He just shakes his head and rests his forehead on top of her scalp. "It's not like that Miss. Honda. Believe me."

She looks at him quickly and takes a step back; away from him. "It is like that Yuki-kun. I've lost mom and Kyo, and now…I've lost Isuzu-chan. Anyone could be next right?" She pauses, taking a deep breath. Yuki stares at her attentively wanting to listen to every word she speaks so that he can understand what she meant by everything. "I hate this. And…I rarely say that Yuki-kun." Tohru stops once again as if she has remembered something. "Sometimes…I feel like I'm really a part of this family. The Sohma family." Looking at Yuki she asks curiously, "Do you understand what I mean? I'm not confusing you am I."

Yuki merely shakes his head and smiles. "Not at all Miss. Honda. I understand what you mean. Sometimes…I feel like you were meant be found by us in the forest and meant to live with us in Shigure's house. Somehow, fate brought all of us closer and now it's-." He's cut off by an approaching shadow.

"Pulling us apart," Haru finishes for Yuki. Yuki mutters under his breath after Haru completes the sentence he was about to say. "We just have to go on with our lives and continue living Tohru." Haru explains so calmly you'd believe Rin was still alive and right beside him. It was amazing how calm he was. Haru was a person that was hard to faze, if that was hard to realize. But, it was rare to see him completely broken down in tears. It was easily possible to see him depressed, but in a river of tears; no chance.

Sometimes in life, you have to be strong for everyone. Clearly, Haru thought that was put on his shoulders the moment he was born, even if it wasn't true. He has to be happy for all of them, clear for each of them, open to his family and friends and speak his mind. But, the speaking his mind part wasn't only him, not at all. The person that spoke his mind the most was Kyo, and because it was Kyo, there was no way he could win in that category.

Remembering something he heard when he was approaching Tohru, Haru blinks repeatedly. "Kyo hasn't told Tohru yet…" he mutters and glancing at Yuki and Tohru.

"Told her what?" Yuki asks curiously.

"Me?" Tohru whispers in complete surprise.


	10. The Honest Truth Is Worth Telling

**Chapter 10: The Honest Truth Is Worth Telling

* * *

**

**Some of this chapter is based on my speculation of the manga. DO NOT believe this…unless someone has read the volumes that were released in Japan and this has happened. If it has…then…I'm psychic. But…I strongly doubt it. Please READ AND REVIEW. I enjoy reading what you say good or bad. I like to know what people think and I'll attempt to improve. .

* * *

**

Tohru continues to blink, as she gets more and more dumbfounded by the second. How did Haru obtain the knowledge of something about herself, which she didn't even know? Yuki also stares at Haru curiously, wondering about the next words that may spill out of his blabbering mouth.

Meanwhile, though, in Tohru's mind she found herself re-contemplating her most recently spoken words, the ones she spoke to Yuki before Haru quietly approached them. What were they? Why was she having a hard time remembering such simple things that happened only seconds ago? '_Sometimes…I feel like I'm really a part of this family. The Sohma family_' Those had to be the words…it just had to be those. What did Haru mean when he whispered those mysterious words. What was he even thinking? Was there something Kyo was supposed to tell her and he never did?

Everything became too confusing; her eyes began to scan the throng of mourning people, unintentionally passing up Yuki and Haru each time her eyes flutter by. Slowly, she places her hands on her ears and shakes her head, rattling and dismissing any unwanted thoughts. This was all she had to concentrate on now. Haru's strange mutter. It still didn't make any sense, and it wasn't going to give off any logic until Haru opened up his motionless lips to ease their minds of racing thoughts.

He smiles at her confusion and shakes his head. For some strange reason, Haru was beginning to enjoy their sudden perplexity. He found it…. entertaining! How fond he was becoming of their struggling minds, it was as if he were trying to mentally say he was going insane or something. Yet, his mouth stays practically stapled shut.

But, when he sees them struggling to come up with new thoughts he sighs and folds his arms across his chest tiresomely. "The thing is, Kyo was suppose to tell you something. Ya know, incase he was to ever get locked away like he is now." Pulling his arms out of the folded position, Haru scratches the back of his head with his left hand for a moment and then sticks both hands in his pocket "Have you ever _really_ wondered why Akito hates you so much Tohru-kun?" Haru asks, trying to make it sound as if it is out of sheer curiosity; clearly, it didn't convince Yuki the slightest bit since -the moment Haru spoke his sentence-he shot an awkward stare at him.

Tohru stares at Haru curiously and shakes her head and replies with a gently spoken, "No."

Of course, she didn't know why Akito despised her. She was always told that Akito had a superiority complex, and so she just plainly went along with it as if it were no big deal. But, it was now obvious that whatever made Haru say what he said, had to do with Akito. What it was though, was continues to remain unrevealed to both Yuki and Tohru. **_Why hadn't Kyo-kun told me anything? Why didn't he tell me what Haru-kun is getting ready to tell me? H-How…important is it?_** These thoughts rush through her mind like bullets to a target. And still, no answers came to her. Her mind was blank and she was practically thoughtless.

A short smile limps across Haru's face. "Akito despises you, not only because you too are a female, but because…your mother was a part of the Sohma family." The jaws dropped instantly and without hesitation. Knowing he had caught them off guard, Haru gives them a couple moments to regain a little composure and to stop gawking at him and his previous sentence. It was pretty funny to Haru, how so few words can affect a person -a group of people- so greatly.

Tohru opens her mouth but the words became lodged in her throat so tightly that nothing came out. She begins to shake her head, feeling the confusion over come her. "But…no…my father. Wait… our families' last name is Honda. And…my mother…her maiden name was…Sohma? Are you sure Haru-kun?" Her tone was more curious this time and less full of shock. The soft expression on her face told him everything.

"I'm positive. We gathered all the information we possibly could and then one day it became clear. I was speaking to Akito in a whisper one day…and she confirmed this." His voice was stern and gave off the impression that if someone were to intrude -while he was talking- he'd kill them. That wasn't the case at all though. His face bore the expression of a solemn man whose life was practically torn apart, but aside from that, he was full of seriousness, and had a poker-type face on.

Her mouth, once again, opens but to no prevail. Nothing came out and it was the same each of the next three times she tries in consecutive minutes. Yuki looks from Tohru to Haru and back to Tohru again. Finally, he switches his attention to Haru and looks at him with strong bewilderment. "I don't understand… How did you come up with that assumption in the first place? Surely, something tipped you off. Who or what was it that gave you that impression?" He asks as if each of the questions were glued to Haru's forehead.

Another grin skips merrily across Haru's face. For some weird, Sohma-like reason, he was enjoying the fact that they were absolutely speechless. "Come, we'll leave this area for now. It's far too depressing." He says shortly, requesting to leave his lover's burial grounds even though the ceremony was still going on.

Nodding silently, they follow him past all the screeching and crying people that were occupying all of the space and reach a little alley that rested between an old abandoned house and a monstrous tree that practically consumed everything around it.

Haru tugs at his pants a little so that dirt doesn't get on them as he sits down on a large tree root. Yuki and Tohru almost do the same, except they sit on a rickety bench that was directly across from Haru. Without another movement, Haru continues on with his little 'story'. "Ya see, back during the time when Kyo's mother was still alive your mother lived here, Tohru-kun. But, Kyo wasn't allowed to ever leave the house because of the Juzu beads. His mother feared that the beads would break or slip off and what not. So, he was forced to live in segregation even with a family." He pauses for a short breather and continues on, " Your mother, Kyoko-san, would come to his house every so often because she was a friend of his mother. When your mother got married, Tohru, she began sneaking back into the Sohma Estate to visit her friend that also was preparing to have a baby. She spent years going back and forth between you two, may it have been taking you with her or leaving you at home with your father. She felt very bad for Kyo nonetheless because he was cursed with the vengeful cat spirit. Of course, being an inner Sohma, your mother knew of the Sohma curse and accepted it with open arms, unlike all the other parents. Though, she was quoted as saying she was happy you weren't born as any of the animals of the Juunishi."

After he stops again, Tohru couldn't help but open her mouth. "So... mom wasn't only out with her gang all those times. She was…taking care of Kyo-kun." Her eyes grew bright as she imagined her mom as a noble…gang member. What were the odds that her mother was actually one of the inner Sohma's, without a vengeful spirit, that new of the curse? It made her happy to know that her mother was almost exactly like her. "Please…. continue Haru-kun." She whispers eagerly.

"Very well then." He says plainly after seeing the transfixed expression on Yuki's face. "As I was saying, your mother used to take extra care of Kyo. She'd come to the house, talk with Kyo's mother for a bit and play with Kyo or talk to him about whatever he liked. Heh…she even made him promise that he'd take care of you when you both got older. She wanted you to see how kind Kyo was, but…once his mother committed suicide… things changed with him." The moment he spoke the word 'suicide' Tohru's mouth dropped. He ignores this and continues on, " He was hated by everyone here and that was when Kazuma took him under his wing. After that, Kyoko never really saw Kyo and you were never given the proper chance to meet him as she had wished. It's also said that Kyo was the cause of her death, and the guilt he holds upon himself is great. The truth is…. we don't know if that's true. We believe he is misunderstanding the situation and is blaming it on himself because he isn't sure what really happened." Haru stops for a second and smiles at Yuki and Tohru and whispers, in a raspy tone, "Any questions?"

Yuki opens his mouth to speak, but it is Tohru who is able to spit out words, "So…it isn't Kyo's fault my mom died?" This made her much happier knowing that it wasn't his fault. The only reason she could think of to why he'd blame himself is because Kyoko, her mother, was probably like a second, more caring mother for him and he wanted someone whom he knew that he could blame. The only person that he was able to blame at the time was himself, because he was frightened and running away from the accident.

Now he was locked up, almost like when he was forced to stay home when he was younger. It was horrible how bad his life was now. Everything seemed to be coming back to him and biting him for all his happiness; tearing all his enjoyable memories away one by one until there was nothing left to keep him alive.

This news begins to make Tohru think deeply about their situation. As a Sohma…she'd be able to have some sort of direct mental link or something right? **_What am I thinking…just cause they're cursed doesn't mean they have telepathic links? _**She sighs a little and looks at Yuki curiously. He was twiddling his thumbs but was in a deep, hypnotic trance; in deep thought. What was his mind currently set on and thinking about? Was he even going to speak up on this entire matter?

Finally, he does exactly what Tohru was asking herself; he speaks up. "Miss Honda, you …are a member of the Sohma family. Which is why Akito hates you? Your mother used to take care of Kyo and they created a special bond. She has him promise…. to take care of you." After saying that last repetition, he realizes what the last sentence was that he spoke. The thoughts comes to mind that… he was never meant to be with Tohru Honda, as much as he loved her, it just wasn't allowed to happen. Kyo and Tohru love each other and even her mother knew that was bound to happen. How can he knowingly go against her wishes to have them together? She hardly even knew Yuki if she knew him at all, so why should he love Ms. Kyoko's daughter? That, as well, didn't seem right. So, for the sake of Miss. Tohru Honda, he decides…to give up his love. **_I …can't love her when it was forever meant for her and Kyo to be with one another. She doesn't love me… as I love her. It's just like a brother and sister type thing between us. Her and Kyo. That must be true love._**

Haru glances at Yuki, awaiting more words to come from his mouth, but nothing came. "Is that all Yuki?" he asks curiously, tilting his head to the left slightly. Watching Yuki nod, he gets to his feet and walks up to Tohru, slowly kneeling down in front of her and taking her hand. "Shall we…."

She knew exactly what he meant by that this time. By what he said. He wished to help her. Help her free Kyo from Akito's strong dungeon like house she locked him up in. Grabbing his hand as well, Tohru gets to her feet at the same moment as Haru. "Let's…. please go." Her eyes were on the verge of tears, but she was ready to help her _love_ nonetheless. No matter what it took. No matter the strong, and difficult consequences.

* * *

**Here is chapter 10 of the...um.. sad? amazing? I don't know. Here's the 10th chapter of Kan Yume! I hope you all enjoy(ed). Please read and review! **


	11. Within His Dream

**Chapter 11: Within His Dream

* * *

****This chapter takes place during the time Haru is telling the story to Tohru. Yet another sad chapter…sorta. Just to clear something up, Katsuro is an OC. So..he's not in the actual manga. Just a question I had to answer. Continue to review and say anything you like! In this chapter, the italic typing is Kyo's Dream.

* * *

**

Kyo rolls around on the rickety, wood floor that was practically an extremely dull mahogany red. There was nothing within the shack that was fit for human inhabitation. Nothing. All there really was, was steal bars, and discolored walls that looked like cement but were actually constructed with really thick pieces of wood. There were multiple splinters wedged into his skin even though he had only been living in that hellhole for three or four days at the least. As painful as the wood pieces were, he with stood it all, wanting to prove his physical strength and show that he wasn't as weak as Akito depicted him.

His eyes were tightly shut by his own will and he attempted at sleep once more. His pain…his thoughts…they were all eating at him like a disease. Kyo rolls onto his left, facing the window that was covered in bars. A piece of wood cracks a little as his foot drops against it. Even the ground he slept on was worn and useless. The way he felt. It was an impossible fate to escape from. He was going to live here forever, no matter how hard he bangs against the doors and walls, no one will ever come. Even if they say they will, they wont. Their fear will take control of their being and stop them from rescuing him.

Groaning almost silently, Kyo places his left hand firmly on the wood and keeps his eyes closed. His body fell into a soft sleep and his eyes twitch for a few moments before he drifts into a deeper sleep. Kyo's body was showing off a strangely content posture and his face bore a somewhat happy expression. It was quite a surprise, especially since his mind was full of dreadful thoughts while awake and now in his sleep. Something wasn't right. It didn't seem, nor feel normal inside. Slowly, he turns back over, lying motionlessly on his back; clearly he was so tired, nothing would awake him even if he were to notice that he was hardly breathing. The air –which was probably the only thing in the room other then Kyo himself-, was fairly musty and it made Kyo cough often. Even while sleeping, you can hear him cough huskily. It wasn't healthy and even though he hadn't been breathing it in for more then a week, it quickly got to work and is currently affecting his health like a drug.

_The sun burst through an open window with a powerful sense of energy. As hot as it was, everyone was reasonably cheerful and wearing summer clothing. The young boy with the orange hair –Kyo- turns around and looks out that same window with a shy, saddened expression. His mother walks up from behind him and gently pulls the window down to close it. He pulled his hands out of the way and watched his mother shut the window. After she left the room, he let out a deep sigh and placed his hands against the windowpane. It was quite cold because hadn't laid its rays upon it in a long time. The window had been open for many days until his mother found it open and closed it._

_He let out a quiet whine and lets his hand sprawl open across the glass. The warmness of the sun quickly soothed his freezing hand and he instinctively throws his other hand against it for the warmth. After he felt his hands begin to burn, he withdraws his hands from their last position and lets them drop to his side._

_What caught his attention was something sad. A group of children, about his age, were playing Fruits Basket in the courtyard diagonal of his house. Kyo had let out a short gasp at this sight. The last time he was outside with those same kids, they said that Fruits Basket was out of style and that no one played it anymore. **They lied to me…** The sadness rushed through his body once more and he turns his back to the window, and hurriedly runs to the door, throwing it open and running with his eyes closed. In an instant, he ran into his mother and a popping type of noise is heard and next thing he knew, he was sitting sadly in his cat form. Tears were gently strolling down his cheeks and not being able to contain himself he jumps up at his mother and she caught him in her arms._

_"My dear, sweet boy…" her voice sounded so caring to him and he believed her love._

_His cat form sniffles and he nestles into her. Then, something changed. This memory became clouded and within seconds something different happened. A woman is thrown into the house and she hits the ground. Kyo and his mother stood stilly and look at them woman. She was so familiar to Kyo and his mom but, they just stood their. He tries to pull out of his mom's grasp after recognizing the lady but she held him tightly. "MOM! LET ME GO! WE HAVE TO HELP HER! She's my…only friend…" He gasps lifelessly, poofing back into his human form. Nonetheless, his mother held him back, even though he was without his clothing. He desperately reaches for the young lady but his mother pulls his hands back and holds them behind his back. "Mom! Please…. we have to help Mrs.Kyoko!" He shouted sadly, "She's…she's hurt, Mother!" Kyo added helplessly._

_The woman laid on the ground, almost motionless. Her slight breathing caused Kyo even more worry. He couldn't stand this; the only person who 'really' cared for him was being hurt._

_Suddenly, he saw another figure standing at the doorway down the hall. This figure was much, much shorter and made Kyo wince a little in order to make out the details of this person. That person was the young master, Akito._

Why was this memory being altered? How was he not in control of what was happening like he normally is? Usually, the dream would go on as normal, fulfilling the memory it was based on. But this time, it was completely different. The feeling in Kyo's body had shifted some how and he was becoming mentally confused. A sharp stinging sensation begins to burn at the back of his neck, and he stays asleep, unwillingly allowing the dream to continue on in its course of nature.

_A sharp grin comes from Akito and her body begins to shift into the present, older version of Akito. Kyo flinches and then turns to go behind his mother. But, she pushes him forward and he falls onto his clothing. Cautiously, he put them on and then knelt down beside Kyoko's body. He yelled angrily and fell on Kyoko's back, crying into her clothing; mourning. She was gone again. And yet again, it was his fault. He could've helped her but he wasn't strong enough. How was he going to explain this to that daughter he told him about? The one he promised to take care of when he grew older._

_Akito lets out a proud shout of laughter. "I own your dreams you monster. You're in my possession. Itsumo. That word is normally used in a good way right?" another sharp sounding laugh came from her mouth and she places her hand on the back of her head. The laughter continued for a short period of time and then she stops. Looking at Kyo with a greedy grin, she says softly, "I dare to say that this is not a pleasant dream for you. Kan Yume? Pft. What a joke! For you its hell! For me! IT IS A SWEET DREAM! Oh yes…. very. Now…while you suffer in your dreams and in your hellish sanctuary, I will be attempting to jokingly mourn Rin's death." She disappears through the door, leaving the young Kyo crying his eyes out in fright and sorrow._

His eyes shot open the moment she disappears and he sits up. Sweat dripping down his forehead, Kyo groans and rubs his face instantly. The sweat now rests on his hands and he just stares at them blankly. "How…did she do that?" he mutters. Then, in anger, he rephrases his previous sentence, "HOW DID THAT WENCH DO THAT!" Kyo thrusts his right fist into the wood and the coppice flies into the air, dropping around and leaving even more splinter in his hand, knuckles, and arm.

Staggering to his feet weakly, he looks at the ground, both hands closing into fists. Some of the splintered wood drops out of his skin, but most of it remained. "Why is she doing this to me? As if I'm not being tortured enough, right? I long to see Tohru…but…the seems like a long shot. I doubt Akito will let her or Haru near this house again." His voice was shaky even though he was alone in the room as usual. Looking down, Kyo lifts his left hand up and rubs his forehead since there weren't any splinters in that hand. He was too stressed out now to even think any farther. Nevertheless, he continues to question Akito's abilities to enter his thoughts; his very dreams. "How is she able to make such a happy memory so painful. Does she possess more power then any of us even realize?" Even though it wasn't like him to contemplate this much, he did anyways. His mind has made some severe changes ever since he was locked up. He's become far wiser some how, if that is to make any sense. And, he considers many things now, rethinking his past moments with certain people such as: Tohru, Yuki, Kyoko, and Shigure, just to name a few. "She feeds off of my dreams. Creating my good times into horrible ones, just so she can make those very memories her 'good ones'. She literally does bring a whole new meaning to kan yume…" he sighs a little and drops his left hand back down to his side, opening both hands completely so that he can alleviate his right hand of the pressure of having to hold itself closed and having wood digging into it.

Walking over to the window slowly, he peers out through the small spots where light shone in. Almost everything was invisible to his eyes. The sunlight was burning his pupils because he hadn't seen such a strong burst of light for practically five days. His eyes weren't used to so much light, even though hardly any was shining in. Through his small blindness, he was able to see a group of people in the distance as he winces to peer past Akito's house. The throng of people appeared to all be mourning Rin's death still. For some reason this began to disgust Kyo and he turns around abruptly.

Trudging back to the center of the room, he drops down gradually and sits cross-legged. "Its so stupid. Can't they see past Akito's mental disguise? She's trying to make them believe it was an accident. She admitted it all in my dream for God's sake! Akito said she was going to jokingly pretend to mourn! What kind of retards could actually believe she is sad! Oh my god! This is so freaking pissing me off right now. Practically all of my relatives are retarded. Not being able to see through Akito's false-self." He grunts under his breath, and folds his arms across his chest in annoyance. The wood continues to dig deeply into his skin and he winces, closing his eyes entirely once again. He'd hardly gotten twenty minutes of sleep while he was having the screwed up version of his reverie.

The anger continues surging on through his veins as he thinks about Akito's evilness. Sadness suddenly befalls his face when he finds himself thinking of both Tohru and Kyoko Honda. How close he use to be to them. May it have been he and Tohru or Kyoko and himself, the bond was once strong but the energy of it has failed to continue on. It has melted like the snow. In his mind, their bond has gone from the coolness of winter, to the warm and breathy spring. He wasn't going to be able to see Tohru for a while if he doesn't recuperate his strength. Without that force, he didn't have the ability to knock down the walls that bound him to the darkness. In order to cut himself loose he gave himself the orders to concentrate on his old training. At the thought of this he slightly grins, he was to try and attempt to advance his training within his hellish confines. By the time he is given the chance to make his escape, he'll be strong enough to defend himself against any type of armies that Akito sends after him. Even…. if it is Akito herself.

* * *

**Here is the eleventh chapter of Kan Yume. I know its very informative and…somewhat sad but…it's very helpful. This chapter mostly explains the summary. At least…I think it does. Read and Review! Tell me what you think.**


	12. The Need To Retrieve

**Chapter 12: The Need To Retrieve

* * *

**

**This is a much _lighter_ chapter by me. (Come on...you gotta leave me some more reviews. I get motivated. Reviews make me want to type more. It lets me know that people do read it.)

* * *

**

Tohru and Haru leave the area within seconds, leaving Yuki to get a short start after them. The three of them walk slowly down the road-like path in the Sohma Estate so that they don't draw any unwanted attention to themselves. If they were even going to so much as make an attempt at releasing Kyo, they were going to have to be as stealthy as possible about it. Without that main attribute –that they carefully place upon their conscious- this mission was hopeless. It's like walking through a well-secured house without any sort of plan to keep you from getting caught.

They kept their pace and made their way down the street. Some eyes wander over to them but gradually look away to re-place their attention upon the funeral. How they wish they were able to attend that ceremony. But, other things were showing their strong importance in their direction. Their minds were made up. Even Yuki's intent was to free Kyo despite their raging hatred for each other, no matter what Mayu said at graduation, those two were still rivals in many things. Forever and always, they will continue to let their anger control their minds at the sight of each other.

The small housing facility that Kyo was locked in was in their sight and it grew nearer and nearer by the second; their tolerance was growing thin with each step they took. Their eyes were gradually taking notice of the details of the poorly built building. Clearly though, it was strong enough for someone like Kyo to stay in it without so much as a valid attempt. Haru was as quiet as ever and Tohru just follows his example plainly, her expression sharp. Yuki continues to walk just behind the two of them like a guard; he was keeping watch for any suspicious people. If he were to see any their objective wasn't going to be complete and they would be forced to split up to try and avoid capture. Though splitting up seemed like a better idea in the first place, they unanimously decided against it saying they'd be stringing together even though there would be a better chance of freeing Kyo if they were split.

Yuki opens his mouth to speak quietly, "If we can't free Kyo now, its useless. To make another effort after this one would be foolish. If something goes wrong we'll have to leave it up to Kyo to set himself free." He made sure to talk quietly so that no passerby's could understand the name he was speaking.

The moment after Yuki finishes speaking, Tohru opens her mouth, and with an equally quiet voice, she says, "We wont stop trying to free Kyo-kun. I…. I miss him too much to give up on him." A few minutes pass and she speaks once again, "If I am captured trying to let him loose…then I have a chance at being locked up with him, right?" She asks curiously.

Haru looks at her, fully understanding what she means and how she is feeling. Apparently, Yuki wasn't able to comprehend her thoughts. Sighing, Haru quietly explains what she means, "If she were to get locked up, she's hoping it'd bring her closer to Kyo instead of farther." Clearly, Yuki didn't want this to happen and continues to act as if he didn't understand what was going on. Haru clarifies what he said only seconds ago in an attempt to let him know what was happening.

They reach the house, stopping at least forty feet from the doorway. To cancel out any suspicious on lookers, Yuki walks to the door instead of Haru or Tohru. By doing this, it made people assume that he was merely going there to taunt Kyo, not free him of the hellhole he was trapped in. His hand slips to the cold, icy doorknob and he turns it to the left and realizes that it is locked from the inside. Things had changed. The door used to be locked on the outside but this time it didn't even have a keyhole. It was a very peculiar thing to do, having the locks on the inner side of the door. Because of that, it allows Kyo an easier way to just plainly escape. Is it possible that Kyo hasn't even taken any notice of this? Is the door being gradually altered in his sleep so that he doesn't even realize it?

The doorknob began to twist in the opposite direction that Yuki was turning it in. Due to pure shock, he lets go of the knob and watches it twitch back and forth as if a strong force was tugging at it. A small grin crosses Yuki's face and he places both hands firmly on the knob. Almost silently, he says, "Kyo…at the same time now…pull back…" A sound a scuffling feet is heard from the inside letting Yuki know that was his quiet way of replying. "1… 2… 3… _pull,_" Yuki grunts quietly and yanks at the door. His pulling is almost canceled out by Kyo's but he pulls harder and within a second, the doorknob snaps in two. He falls backwards and hits the dirt floor that was in front of the door, holding the brass knob in his hand tightly.

Kyo makes a loud thump as he, too, falls to the ground hard. He groans in pain as he lands on the broken floorboards that his fist went through earlier. His shirt, as if it weren't torn enough, rips even more, leaving even more cuts on his back. The blood slowly drips onto the floor and stains the wood. His shirt soaks up some of the blood to itself as the bleeding slows. Staggering to his feet at a slow velocity, Kyo dusts off his pants and tosses the doorknob back, listening to it ring against the bars across the window. He bows a little to look through the hole where the knob would normally be. Through that very hole, he saw Yuki and caught a glimpse of Tohru. After seeing her, he ran toward the door, exerting all his energy.

Yuki charges at the door at the same time as Kyo and a loud cracking sound is heard when they impact the wood. On Kyo's side of the door, though, it was practically covered in metal so he lets out a loud yelp. He stumbles backwards, holding his left arm weakly and staring at the door. He sees Yuki back up and the door wavers for a moment before dropping into the room with the loudest bang they ever-set ears on.

He grins with a sense of happiness and runs as much as he can out the door, whispering a quick, "Thank you," to Yuki. After passing Yuki he runs up to Tohru and grabs her, pulling her into a hug, resting his head against her's. One hand immediately slides around her and the other behind her head, slipping through her hair slightly. She flings her arms around him, crying into his shoulder. Kyo ignores the pain in his body, even though Tohru's fingers were practically digging into his raw flesh.

She speaks his name softly, with great precision; "Kyo-kun…" tears began dripping more quickly from her eyes, "Kyo-kun! I'm so happy, so… so…so happy." With her last sentence he was able to hear her more clearly since she wasn't completely whispering anymore.

A soft smile crosses both of their face and Kyo pulls out of the hug in slight pain, but nothing he couldn't continue to ignore. Looking at Yuki then to Haru he grunts and looks down, shoving his hands in whatever was left of his torn pockets. "I didn't need your help, you damn rat. I could have pulled that knob off when I wanted to. I…I just wanted to give Akito a little time to forget about me…" his voice trails off, wondering if that excuse will even work.

Haru couldn't help but cover his smirk. "You really are stupid aren't you, Kyo?" Yuki asks curiously, walking towards him from the doorway. "Akito wasn't going to forget about you. Nor was she going to let you leave any time soon." Yuki sighs and rubs his forehead, stopping just a couple feet away from them. Dropping his arms to his side, he places his left hand at his hip a little and glares at Kyo, "A stupid cat like you couldn't escape from their even if they wanted to…" he shot quietly, trying to say it under his breath, but intentionally making it so that he does hear.

With a silent grunt of annoyance, Kyo turns his back on Yuki completely, standing sideways to Tohru now. "Can we please leave this dump… _now_." He says impatiently. His temper was beginning to grow thin as he began to capture the eyes of passing people. At the sight of the door being on the ground, the few people scatter in fright of Kyo's possible rage.

Nodding quietly, Haru looks at Kyo. In the same instant, they both mouth the words; "Thank you…" but dare not say it with too many people around. It had to be only them if they were to ever say it aloud. No one else was to be in the same room if that were to ever happen.

Going down the path, Tohru walks beside Kyo. Everything was silent, just like many times previous when they were all together. But this time was different. There was no huge quarrel between any of them. This time, it was because they were in need of escape. They retrieved the person they were trying to obtain and their mission was complete. Now all that was left is getting out of the Estate without being caught. If they were to be caught now, it would have all been for nothing. If they didn't leave soon, no doubt they would all be locked up in due time.

They approach the gate. Two men stand in front of it, keeping guard. One was a stout man, with a chunky face and probably multiple chins. His red hair made him stand up like a sore thumb. The other man though, was practically emaciated. He was like a tooth pick amongst grass. His body had no other distinct features other then his thin-ness.

**_He can probably pass as a bar on the gate, _**Kyo thought with a soft laugh under his breath. Haru and Yuki look at him curiously after seeing him snicker and then laugh slightly as well realizing he was thinking the same thing as them.

**_Maybe he doesn't eat much? Poor guard-san. That has to be considered malnutrition. Akito-san should feed them something; _**Tohru contemplates to herself, knowing that the others are no doubtedly making fun of the poor man. She shakes her head a little and they finally come to a stop in front of the guards.

"Ahem…where do you think the four of you are going? We have strict orders from Lord Akito to not let anyone leave this compound." The chubby guard says sternly, giving the four of them a quick, suspicious stare.

Haru sighs and rubs the back of his neck a little. Abruptly he shoves Tohru behind Kyo so that she wont be seen in all her shaking glory. "We have special orders from 'Lord' Akito…" he says to the guard quietly. The moment he says 'Lord', Kyo begins to cough repeatedly.

Yuki elbows Kyo in the chest and he gasps a little. They get into a quiet argument within seconds. "I was coughing! You think there was an air freshener in that rat hole! I could hardly ever breath in that crap house." He says angrily under his breath, but loud enough for Yuki to comprehend.

The two guards huddle together for a short second and then split up to stand side by side. "Sure…go through." The skinny man says proudly as if he was happy to hear that he can let someone leave the Sohma Estate. "But…be careful and tell the guards near the end of the line of bushes that you were given specific instructions by the front gate and you were allowed through." He says waving a lengthy index finger in Haru's face.

With a nearly invisible nod, Haru smiles. They walk past the two men in a cluster to keep Kyo from being sighted by them. Their final objective: Get out of the area before word of four people leaving the Estate reaches Akito's ears.

* * *

**There is chapter 12. See...Happier chapter! This chapter took me a long time with me having cold and what not. If there are more mistakes then usual, I'm very sorry ;. I hope you all enjoyed it nonetheless!**


	13. Arrival

**Chapter 13: Arrival

* * *

**

Here's chapter 13. I hope you all enjoy! I stayed up till 1:00am just to finish it. I even typed in between commercials of my fav. animes!lol. Please enjoy! R&R.

* * *

The path was entirely clear. Not one living being was on the short lane until they reach the edge of the walkway. The guard the skinny man had told them about was exactly where he said. Haru merely grins and walks right past them, only for all of them to be put to a stop. "Ahem, where do the three of you think you are going?" It was only three because they couldn't see Kyo with the three of them huddling together and him crouching a little. Before any one can speak after that, the guard spoke again, "If you actually think I'll believe anything you're going to say, then it's a waste of my time, and a misuse of fine oxygen."

Kyo peeks through the small gaps between them and glares at the man. He wasn't comfortable because of that guard. He was being forced to hide like a rat. It wasn't supposed to be like this. His escape should have been nice and smooth, without any troubles. They were creating friction instead of falling through their plan like oil. Haru lifts his hand up slightly and speaks, trying to sound all professional, "You see, Lord Akito gave us permission to leave the compound. We have to fetch a couple family members because they lost their way." Haru lets himself smile, trying to keep the fact that he was proud of his deception in the shadows.

Yuki rubs his forehead thinking, **_why does it sound like he's describing himself as the lost family member…_** With a sigh, he gives Haru some support, "Yeah, if we don't meet up with them soon, they'll miss the entire ceremony. They loved Isuzu-chan, we can't let them go on living without going to her funeral." His tone of voice was much more convincing then Haru's for the fact that he was going more into the details. The only reason he was even bothering to help was because he knew it was going to make Tohru much happier around the house with Kyo there as well.

The guard glances at Tohru and sees her wide smile, and her eyes shut. "Ahem…what's she doing? Is she okay? Wait…who the hell is that girl?" He says in annoyance, asking too many questions at once. Kyo gives the man another glare as he peeks between the three of them, mostly Tohru and Yuki.

**_If that asshole lays a finger on Tohru, I'll jump out from my crappy hiding place and kick his ass to high hell…_** Kyo says to himself mentally, growling under his breath so softly that it was impossible to even believe it was coming from behind them. His anger begins to swell up within his body and before he realizes it, he grasps Tohru's ankle as a small support to keep himself on his knees. She flinches for a split second and then looks around, trying to keep her legs and feet in place as to not reveal Kyo. He curses at himself under his breath and looks down, letting go of her ankle slowly so that there is no type of sound to be heard by the guard.

Yuki glares at the guard weakly, and bites his bottom lip momentarily before answering the guard's questions, "She's standing quietly and she's perfectly fine. Watch your language around woman…especially her. We wouldn't want you to slip up and say something that would make us angry on her behalf. This girl… is our friend." He says nervously, not really sure what he can say after such a weak response. Looking at the guard quietly, Yuki sees his eyes shifting towards Tohru and watching her shake for a few seconds and look behind her slightly. Yuki's eyes grow wide and he waves his hands for a second. "Ah…look, it's almost time to pick up our family! Come on Haru…come on…Tara…." He stumbles with her name trying to make up a new one so that if Akito was to gain notification of them leaving, her suspicion would be slightly dulled.

The guard sighs and begins to show the expression of annoyance. "Look, Yuki," the guard starts speaking, "You and Haru can go through, as well as the girl, but if you are slipping something by me and Lord Akito, well, then you'll be in big trouble. D'you understand?" He asks, placing one hand at his hip, his eyes narrowing as he awaits Yuki or Haru's response to the question.

"I understand sir…." Haru whispers quietly, then spins around, planting his foot in the guys jaw. In an instant, the guard drops to the ground and rolls over, unconscious. Yuki stares at Haru in clear shock and shakes his head for a few seconds before looking at the guard in slight concern, and kneeling down beside him. "Come on Yuki, we have to get Kyo to safety. Preferably sensei's house… quickly."

Haru beckons to Yuki for a split second and then grins proudly as he looks at the guard. Groaning in annoyance, Yuki gets to his feet and sighs, glancing back at Kyo and Tohru. Cat-san was just getting to his feet and observing the guard's quiet body. "You finally shut that thing up? Thank god…" he mutters gratefully, walking past Tohru and Yuki to stand beside Haru. "Do you honestly think that bitch isn't going to go looking for me at Shigure's house, she only picked me up there!" Kyo grunts and looks ahead quietly, observing the forest just beyond the road. Within those woods, just a ways down, was Shigure's house, where he, Yuki, Tohru, and Shigure himself stayed for such a long time; together.

"That's the only place I can think of for now, Kyo. Maybe…after a couple days or something…I don't know. I'll try to find a better place. But for now, lets all get going." Haru says seriously, beginning to walk on toward the road. The three of them follow intently behind, looking around with curiosity and worry.

As they cross the road, Kyo stays close to them, trying to shade himself with the three shadows that were surrounding him. He felt like an escaping fugitive. He was formerly being treated like an animal –a monster- while he was locked up in what he honestly thought was a strongly built shack. Clearly, the door wasn't made as strong as its adjacent walls.

Reaching the other side of the street, Kyo's eyes begin to glow. His reddish eyes were easy to see in the light of the day and he begins running. Tohru and Yuki chase after him, leaving Haru behind on the sidewalk.

"Where's he going Miss Honda!" Yuki exclaims wondering if she has any idea what Kyo is intending on doing. His arms swung back and forth, as any person's arms would, and his breaths were heavy and were beginning to take a toll on his health. Staggering slightly as he hurries on, Yuki finds himself trailing quite far behind Tohru now. She was gaining up on Kyo, but he was getting farther behind her. Soon enough, they were both out of sight completely and he drops to his knees, and falls against a tree with the side of his body. Quickly and desperately, Yuki grabs a limb of the large roots and lays across them weakly. "You…both better hurry back…" his eyes flicker for a couple moments and finally shut with little life.

**XxX**

Kyo skids to a stop and bends over, taking deep, gaping breaths. His hands were tightly gripping his kneecaps and carefully, he looks up and forward at the house that was just ahead of him. A smile drops onto his face perfectly and he stands up straight, his left hand at his waist. "I'm…back. I'm home right…" his voice trails off as he says this and he turns around to see Tohru standing behind him almost breathlessly. Kyo laughs softly and covers his mouth to conceal his happy smile. Dropping his hand back down to his side, he walks over to her and places his hand on her shoulder. "Did you long to see me again, Miss Honda?" he says sarcastically, trying to make fun of Yuki as best as he can.

A short gasping like laugh comes from Tohru's mouth and she smiles happily. "I missed you very much Kyo-kun…" she whispers to him shyly, looking down at the grown within seconds becoming very embarrassed at the fact that she was blushing the color of a cherry.

They carefully walk into the house together, becoming instantaneously cautious of their surrounds. As familiar as this setting was to them, they weren't quite sure what they might find as traps while the others were gone. With slow steps, they move up the staircase talking every couple seconds until they reach the top of the floor.

Kyo heads to his room only to find it completely empty, just as it was a few days ago when he was forced to leave. **_What's Akito thinking…?_** He asks himself as he enters his bedroom, closing the door behind him so that he can convert his clothes to fresher ones. After doing so, he sits in the corner of his room, beside the window and looks through the emptiness. A knock is heard at his bedroom door and he glances at it, slightly startled by its abruptness. He watches Tohru walk into his room and he places a quick, false smile on his face.

"Kyo-kun…" she calls quietly in case he was sitting up in his sleep. Upon seeing his open eyes, she walks over to him and sits at his side. "How are you feeling? Are you wounded anywhere? Does anything hurt?" her hand touches his shoulder and she looks at the back of his shirt in search of the smallest stains of blood.

"I'm fine…"

**XxX**

Akito stares at the coffin and watches all the members of the family walk up to pay their final respects to Isuzu. "Pitiful. Such a weak wench she was. All I did was knock her around a little and she goes and dies on me." She sighs and rubs her face a little feeling the normal sense of boredom and annoyance. "We have much more important things to discuss Kureno…let us go and find our little board members I suppose you can say." Akito waves her hand and begins walking away from the funeral area, with Kureno walking by her side the entire time.

After passing up many questioning family members, the both of them stop outside the ceremony area. There were at least five other people with them. Kyo's estranged father, Yuki's parents, and two other people who apparently were happily married, yet they gave off some strange sense of feeling. Those last two people had something different about them.

Hurryingly, the seven of them went to a long building just a ways down within the Sohma Estate. They enter it was an awkward stealthy maneuver and take their seats at a lengthy table. Akito took the head seat at the farthest end, away from the front door. Kureno sat at the other end and Kyo's father sat on the left side beside the unknown couple, while Yuki's parents sat on the right side of the table by themselves, acting all glamorous.

There was chattering between the five people that came with Kureno and Akito about why they were called upon on such short notice and on a day when the rest of the members of the Sohma family were outside in the scolding heat, mourning the death of a loved one.

"Pft…" Akito groans after letting out a sound of annoyance. She raises her left hand to motion for silence and that's exactly what she receives. "Okay…yeah, it's the death of that gothic little bitch, or whatever the hell she was. So… _kan yume_ to her. Now…lets get on to things that are more important. Who cares about her death? We have more important things then wishing a dead person pleasant dreams." Her temper was wearing thin as the small group of five began whispering amongst themselves. "Silence!" She exclaims, slamming her hands on the table and abruptly shooting to her feet.

Once more, everything gets quiet. "Now…you all have heard of Kyo being contained correct?" They nod quietly, not opening their mouth even the slightest, instead, they took breaths out of their noses. "Well then we are moving along perfectly aren't we now? With him locked up, we can get all our other business finished. I can enter his dreams and soon enough, all of their dreams. By doing this…I can re-."

Kureno cuts her off, "I'm sorry Lord Akito, but…I don't think it would be wise to speak about what you can do by entering their dreams just yet. We…don't need …any…unwanted _objections._" Akito nods agreeing with him and seats herself as if she was being spoken to by one of her few superiors, who happened to only be Kureno.

The two unknown people take a stand to their feet and look at Akito then at Kyo's father and Yuki's parents. The elderly woman of the pair speaks diligently, "With one is none. The gain of more contains thy soul within one's body. Is that not correct my dear?" She looks at the old man that was standing beside her, who was undoubtedly her husband.

"Yes, I do believe that's right love…" Apparently, the zodiac parents' were beyond confused by what the old couple was speaking of. "Combine thy life force with that of the strong willed. Bring together the group that is needed to be complete." He says, most likely finishing the recitation for his wife. They look at each other and nod proudly, retaking their seats. Akito looks at them, completely pleased by what was being said.

"Lovely…" Akito whispers under her breath, understanding each and every word the old couple spoke. It was pleasing her very well. **_How my life will be complete….I will torture their lives…and make my entire life a pleasant dream…Only, for me._**

A man runs into the room, an expression of apology bore on his face. He whispers into Akito's ear quickly. Her eyes grow wide then they instantly narrow. Akito's left eye begins to twitch almost uncontrollably, and she slams her fist on the table, slightly denting it. "Damn…" She says under her breath in one of the angriest tones one's ears can hear. The board members all stare at her, in pure wonder about what was going on and what happened to change Akito's once proud mood.

* * *

**And there it is! Chapter 13. I hope everyone enjoyed and for some reason, I get the feeling Kan Yume will be just as long as Aikyou, possible a chapter or so longer. But...its waaaaaay to early to say or decide. I'm still thinking about how to end it. I'm getting a head of myself ...eheh. Please continue to enjoy and R&R.**


	14. Let The Day Slide By

**Chapter 14: Let The Day Slide By

* * *

****Here's chapter 14! I hope you all enjoy. I'm sorry it took such a long time. But, as I've said, I don't get much reviews and I feel like I'm only typing this story for a few people. Annnyway, please enjoy, it may take me a little longer to type chapter 15 as I have limited time on the computer and because of school/hurricanes and my other fanfic (Hagaren No Baka).

* * *

**

The day passes on slowly, allowing Haru to find Yuki and bring him back to Shigure's house. Many hours pass before Shigure even arrives home with a face that was clearly masked in damp tears. "Sensei," Haru says as he spots him walking towards the steps from his position in the living room. Getting up from the couch that he was once comfortably sitting in, he walks over to Shigure quickly. "Where are you going? What happened at the funeral? Did everything go the way it was suppose to?" His questions came one after another leaving Shigure not one chance to answer any of them. Haru comes up for air and then looks down at the ground slightly embarrassed by the amount of questions he was asking.

Shigure rubs his face getting rid of the tears, and slightly smiles at Haru. "I was going upstairs actually…' he whispers as a response, rubbing his chin gently. "And…nothing interesting happened at the funeral, it was quite dead…" he slaps his forehead and sighs, "I'm sorry, that was a stupid joke." Shigure looks at the ground and sees specks of mud trailing from the point he was staring at, to the steps and up them. Sighing once more, he glances at Haru from the corner of his eyes. "Everything went fine. But… I suppose you can tell me why there is mud… through… my beautiful house!" even more tears fall from his eyes as he mourns the dirtiness of his home. He drops to his knees and tries wiping the dirt away but it only spreads all over the steps and wood. Shigure lets out a wail and throws his hands against his head, falling backwards as if in agony.

Haru blinks and covers his mouth as he chuckles and walks upstairs -around the dirt- saying, "Sensei, I'll find the culprit!" almost mockingly.

Arriving on the second floor, Haru knocks on Kyo's bedroom door and awaits the opening of it. A small sound reaches Haru's ears and he expects it means 'come in'. So, after hearing that, he opens the door and finds Tohru sitting on her knees with Kyo's head in her lap while he lies across the floor. Haru smiles and tilts his head to the side for a split second before walking over to them. Slowly, he drops down to his knees and sits in front of Tohru, looking back to make sure the door was completely shut. When seeing it was, he looks back at Miss Honda, and blinks for a short second. "I can't believe he actually let you do this," he whispers in almost complete disbelief. He couldn't believe his own eyes, and that was almost a first.

Tohru smiles cheerily, but she was unmistakably tired. "He fell asleep and I just lifted his head up and placed it on my lap. Kyo-kun didn't take one bit of notice. I can't begin to imagine how tired he was…" she says softly as an answer to Haru. She was stroking Kyo's head gently and comfortably so that he can continue to sleep in peace without worrying about waking up. His hair slowly flows through her fingers leaving it to be a little weird in some spots. Tohru glances at Haru with a small smile and says, "Where's Yuki-kun? Is he okay? I mean…he didn't reach the house at the same time as us, so I was-."

Covering her mouth, Haru laughs quietly, "Don't worry about it. He's fine, okay?" His voice showed how much he was holding back laughter.

"Maybe it would be better if you left the room before you explode in laughter," Tohru says, slightly giggling at the funny face Haru was making as he spoke and kept his chuckling encased.

Slowly, he gets to his feet and waves a short good-bye to Tohru before exiting the bedroom and shutting the door behind him as he spots Shigure making his way up the steps with Yuki trying to stall him. By standing in front of the door, he was bound to draw Shigure's suspicion, so he runs down the hallway, and carefully walks down it, seeing Shigure reach the top floor finally. "Oh, hey sensei," Haru says plainly, yawning a little, "I just came back from the bathroom. You need more soap in there, sensei," he adds almost blankly.

Shigure raises an eyebrow and places his hands at his hips. "I swear I put soap in there before I left yesterday," his voice drifts off into the air and he walks to the bathroom only to find it in a complete mess that was beginning to make it resemble a pigsty. His eyes were wide as he begins gapping at the dirt on the walls and shower. Even the towels were stained with muck and blood. "AHHHH!" he yells loudly and runs out of the bathroom in shock. "What did you do in their Haru-kun!" Shigure exclaims as loud as he can.

"It was like that when I came in. It must have been Tohru. She fell on the way hear and had to take a shower to clean off…" he says quickly hoping that it would pass as a valid reply. Haru was able to see Shigure's eye twitching but after a couple seconds, it vanishes.

"So, Tohru-kun took a shower?" Shigure repeats almost unsure of Haru's words. Seeing Haru nod, he grins just barely, and walks to Tohru's bedroom. "Oh Tohruuuu," he says in a singing like tone as he knocks on the bedroom door.

Hearing her name being called, Tohru slowly rests Kyo's head on a pillow from the closet in his room and carefully creeps out of the bedroom trying to create the illusion that she was down stairs the entire time. She slips down the stairs to the middle step intentionally, and walks up them hesitantly. "Yes, Shigure-san?" she says quietly with a slightly confused intonation. It was almost as if she was frightened of what Shigure may say next or if he has found out about Kyo escaping and taking refuge here, where he once lived.

Shigure spins around and sees Tohru at the top of the steps, walking towards them. "Ah, Tohru-kun. I see you've taken a shower in this bathroom, like always." He says abnormally, stroking his chin as if he has a beard. Before she gets the chance to open her mouth, Shigure continues on, "Usually, you leave the bathroom clean and spotless. This time, however, it is extremely dirty. Did you roll around in mud before getting home? I mean, there is even dirt on the steps!" His voice was showing his accusation. Shigure was not one to kid around when it came to his 'dear home'. It was quite a sight and a rare occasion to see Shigure getting angry with Tohru.

Noticing this, Yuki steps in and looks at Shigure. "Calm down…. It's not her fault. I mean... she fell in the dirt because of an overgrown tree root. Apologize…. now!" He shouts after seeing his hesitation in saying anything.

"I'm sorry…" he mumbles loud enough for Tohru to hear.

She just bows sweetly and continues to walk towards them when out of nowhere; Kyo's bedroom door swings open with an incredible force. "Ah!" She gets hit in the forehead and falls backward, blinking rapidly and looking around completely dizzy. At the sight of Kyo, Shigure rubs his eyes in an instant but Kyo –instead- kneels down at Tohru's side, grabbing her hand just in hope that she is okay. "I'm so sorry Tohru…I didn't know you were there! I mean, what kind of idiot stands behind a door that swings outward?" he says in confusion, and then looks at her head to see a lump forming. "Ah…I'm not calling you an idiot though, you doofus. God dammit, just be okay… I didn't mean for you to get that …bump on your head…" he says all this and eventually runs out of breath. His hair was soaking wet and he shakes his head as a droplet of water runs down from his hair.

Shigure's eyes twitch and he falls backwards, passing out, upon realizing that it was none other then Kyo that utterly trashed his beloved bathroom. Everything within that room was going to soon be garbage because of Kyo.

Tohru massages her forehead a little, looks at Kyo with a soft smile, grips his hand lovingly, and pulls it towards her face rubbing it against her cheek. Her eyes close slowly, leaving Kyo to flip out and hope she's okay. "Open your eyes you stupid idiot!" he exclaims, grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her a little.

Yuki walks over to Kyo and kneels down on the other side of Tohru. "Look, she's just fine. All it is is a nap. God…. you really are a stupid cat." He grunts tauntingly. "Let's bring her into her bedroom and rest her on the bed. Make yourself useful, Kyo, and get one of those blue bags of ice to stop it from swelling any more then it already has." He orders as if he knows they'll get right to it.

Kyo groans and gets to his feet, charging down the steps and into the kitchen, searching the freezer for the pack of ice. While he was stuck doing this, Haru and Yuki carried her into her bedroom and rested her on her bed, covering her with the bedspread. "Okay…she'll be just fine when Kyo comes back with the ice." Yuki says and almost seconds later, Kyo comes back with the ice and places it gently on her head where the lump is.

Mockingly, Kyo says to Yuki, "There your majesty. The pack of ice is on her head." They glare at each other momentarily and then fight over the chair that was on the left side of Tohru's bed so that one of them can be at her side. Yuki wins by tripping Kyo to make him stumble. "You damn rat…I hate you!" Kyo shouts roughly, crossing his arms as he leans against a wall. He stands just beside the dresser that his childhood hat sat upon, and glares at Yuki from the short distance. He looks at the ground for a second, and then stares back at Yuki. "Don't you think Shigure's acting a little different? I mean…I was able to hear him from my bedroom when I woke up, ya know, when Tohru left my room…" His voice trails off and he rubs the back of his head, elbowing the dresser a little, but incidentally.

Almost in confusion, Yuki blinks as he listens to what Kyo has to say. "What do you mean? He's obsessive over his house as always, what's so different?" Yuki asks in return, not exactly positive about what he meant.

"I'm saying, he actually got somewhat mad at Tohru! Are you that dense you idiot!" he exclaims, pulling himself forward to stand flat on his feet. Walking over to the bed and Yuki he places his right hand behind his head as he looks down at Tohru weakly. "This is so dumb. She should've known I was going to open the door. Or at least pay attention!" Kyo groans even though he knew the first thing he said was impossible, but the second one –the paying attention part- was something that she could have done, but just didn't because she was in the middle of talking to Shigure and sort of with Yuki and Haru.

Yuki looks at Kyo and sighs, slightly smiling at what he was saying. "Go in your room and get some sleep. I'll stay in here with Miss Honda tonight; you go... rest or something," he says to Kyo quietly, placing his hand upon the blue ice pack that was resting on Tohru's forehead. "Just get out of here Kyo, we don't want Tohru getting hurt again because of you do we?" Yuki speaks and -with these almost accusing words-watches Kyo leave the bedroom.

Trudging down the hallway slowly, Kyo steps over Shigure's stunned body and enters his bedroom once more, locking the door behind him as he walks in. Slowly, he drops against the wall beside the closet and slips down it as if it were a slope. Sitting down now, Kyo rubs his forehead repeatedly, feeling an aggravating headache coming on. His brain felt like it was about to come pounding out of his skull. The exasperating pain was all too familiar to Kyo right about now. It was something that happened often when he was locked up. Over such a short period of time being imprisoned, so much had occurred.

**_Something doesn't want me trusting Shigure but… I've never had this much of a feeling, that's told me to go against him. Never have I thought of completely distrusting him,_** Kyo says this to himself in his mind as he thinks about what he could do before anything bad happens.**_ If the guard that Haru knocked out has informed Akito of us leaving the compound, she'll surely come here in search of me…_** He covers his face and shouts into his hands, but only loud enough for him to hear. Dropping onto his side weakly, Kyo's head hits the closet door just barely, and he closes his eyes, drifting into a cool and very calm sleep.

**XxX**

The meeting was long over and everyone left Akito to stand by her window after it ended. Her hand was on the sill and she kept her chin in her palm. "That stupid, ignorant kitty doesn't know what's best for him… Why would people even want a thing like him loose? Not only that, why would he want to risk himself? As much as I hate him, he is regretfully a part of this 'family' and he must be at my side!" her voice grew angrier as she spoke each sentence. "Somehow… Kyo escaped his confines. He's like a stupid daredevil! How did that idiot get passed the guards?" She yells loudly, dropping her forehead against the window gently.

The door of the room opens, practically forcing her to spin around. She folds her arms over her chest when she sees Hiro and Momiji standing in the doorway. "A-Akito-san…" Momiji stutters quietly, looking around in sheer worry. "I was wondering, where did Kyo-kun go? The door…of his…um… house is down. You… you didn't do anything bad to him did you!" His fists close and he lunges his arms downward as he exclaims this, his eyes shutting at the same time. Clearly, he was afraid of what Akito may do or say to him.

Hiro sighs a little and looks at Momiji. "Why are you so sad? Do you think Akito-san killed Kyo? Harmed maybe? Get over it, I'm younger then you and I'm taking this better…" he grunts and crosses his arms almost identical to Akito's posture.

"Oh…killed?" She mutters under her breath and then allows a sharp grin to form across her lips. "Yes…. I killed Kyo. He was too much of a fuss…" she says, sighing as if it were a waste of time. It all sounded so true to them and within seconds, Momiji explodes with tears and runs out of the house wailing with Hiro. "Foolish…." Akito mumbles, turning around to look out her window again.

* * *

**Chapter 14 comes to a close! R&R! **


	15. Fifty Mirrors

**Chapter 15: Fifty Mirrors

* * *

**

**Omg…. A short chapter title! Lol. Please enjoy this chapter, even if it is mostly set in Tohru's dreams it is very significant.

* * *

**

_Painful screeches of agony ring through the ears of the young lady. Someone's horrible suffering was disturbing her sleep. The yelling grew louder and louder by the second and she flinches as her dream-self takes a couple steps forward. As her footsteps lightly echo down the extensively droning hallway, she blinks and winces as she attempts to make out the details of a door just a ways down. Quickly, she runs closer and - more eagerly- she reaches. Her hand finally takes a firm hold of the icy doorknob and for a short moment, she pauses to listen. The yelling was even louder then before and almost deafening. It was an excruciating thing to listen to._

_She turns the knob and closes her eyes as she pulls it open. Entering the room with her eyes shut, dream-Tohru stumbles around for a moment then decides that having her eyes open would be much safer. After reopening her eyes, she spots something fairly shocking. In the darkest part of the room, in the depths of the back, against the wall, there was a stand with a small mirror on it. The mirror itself was upright and being held in its erect position by small, dyed, black slabs of wood._

_"A… A mirror?" her voice in the dream echoes loudly and gives off the exact impression of confusion. It felt as if she were really there. Experiencing something strange. "But… there… there was yelling and screaming. Are the people okay? Maybe… oh no… what if they are locked up some where!" Dream-Tohru exclaims in worry and looks around the room frantically. "Hello!" she shouts hopefully, "Where are you! I'll help you as much as I can! Answer… please..." her voice grew almost quiet and very desperate. She couldn't bear the fact that she may fail these prisoners._

_The dream version of Tohru spins around and runs to one of the four walls in the room. The wall she went to –the left one- was covered in at least fifty mirrors. Each portion of glass within the mirrors reflected her back in many different ways. In one mirror, Tohru was all dolled up and she was wearing a beautiful dress and magnificent, shimmering jewelry. Contradicting that reflection was a version of Tohru that showed her as a complete bum. In that second reflection, Tohru was wearing torn clothes and was covered in mud and soot. It was almost as if she were being forced to clean chimneys and separate the dirt from the grass. Other mirrors showed her as a clown or a president, a veterinarian, a circus performer, and even a doctor. But for some reason, none of those came close to what she wanted in life. There was a variety of things the mirrors showed her but there was so many._

_"Lover? Dog tamer? Queen? Servant, slave, monster, devil, angel…" she whispers as she deciphers what each mirror shows. She goes through each mirror slowly not completely understanding how she can be any of the things depicted. Tohru always felt that she was the kind of girl that would do some kind of thing that involved cleaning and being nice to others. "What is with these mirrors…." She mutters under her breath hearing it echo through her sleeping ears._

_The yelling begins once again, cracking through the thin, eerie ambiance of the room that her dream created. She spins around and hugs herself tightly in fright. "Who…whose there!" Tohru shouts looking around becoming more and more scared by the second. The shouting got louder and louder and before long, the glass in twenty-five of the mirrors crack, fall to pieces, and shatter as they clash against the black, marble floor. Her eyes grow wide and she stumbles backwards, staring at the small, but many, pieces of glass that was all over the floor._

_Some of the yelling stopped the moment the twenty-five mirrors broke, but there was still more moans and groans of pain and torture. Finally an elderly voice yells, "Save us! Please! Bring us home!" and it echoes throughout the shadowy room._

_An icy feeling of fright runs up her spine and then circulates through her body making her feel chilly and get the goose bumps. Her eyes wander all around the room in hopes of spotting the old man that was calling to her for help. It remained as empty as ever. All she saw in the room was the mirror in the back that was on the table and the once fifty mirrors on the wall she was closest too. Suddenly, she locks her eyes on the bottom few mirrors that was a part of the –now- twenty- five mirror set. There was a person's face in it. An old man's yelling expression was locked inside the mirror._

_Without thinking, she goes towards the mirrors and slams her elbow into that single one and shouts in pain. Blood began to soak her sleeve thoroughly until it was a dark red. She looks at it and begins to shake over and over again. "Ah… are… are you okay?" she whispers weakly, looking at some of the shattered glass on the floor in search of a few shards that were red from her blood. "Old… Old man? Are you free?" Tohru asks another question wondering if it was the mirrors that held the screaming people's souls._

_"Thank you…" the voice trembles and fades off._

_She smiles and looks at her elbow, "It… hurts so much…" she lets her voice trail off and be consumed by the darkness of the room._

_Out of nowhere, more screaming erupts throughout the room. Tohru stumbles backwards and almost loses her footing on the glass. She weakly shuffles back to the mirrors and picks up a thick shard of glass from the ground and one by one she tosses it at the mirror, hoping that large shard doesn't break each time. Gasps fill the room after twenty-three of the mirrors are broken. The old man's mirror was originally the twenty-fifth mirror and then she broke twenty-two other mirrors on that same wall. There was one left and she didn't have the heart to destroy it. She slowly approaches that single mirror and presses her hand up against the glass of it. "This one…" tears drip from her eyes, glisten, and illuminate the room from all the glass on the ground, "isn't a mirror. It's… a picture." She pulls it off the wall, opens the back of it, and pulls out the picture. "A photo… of…" The dream slowly disappears before she can finish her sentence._

"Miss Honda! Please wake up!" the voice desperately shouts.

The door of the room swings open and another man comes in and stands at the bedside. "Wake up you ditz!" he exclaims. He takes hold of her arm and pulls it out from under the covers. "Bl… Blood," he stutters weakly and pulls her out of bed. "Wake up Tohru!" he yells as if in pain, "Please!" he let that last word come out as a slight gasp.

Her eyes open and she smiles at the person holding her up. "Kyo…" she whispers and then hugs him. "I had the most horrible dream. There were mirrors and people yelling. Then… I found a picture of you and my mother. It…. was so strange. That was the only part that made me happy. Then…it all vanished." Tohru explains and then turns around to see Yuki picking something up from her bed and his eyes growing wide as he looks at it.

"What's that you damn rat?" Kyo questions almost eagerly. Yuki turns the paper around and Kyo stares at in incredulously. "The… picture. Is that the one you saw Tohru?" he asks looking at her curiously. As he sees her nod, he bites his bottom lip and looks down at her elbow. "How… did you cut your elbow? Did you like wake up in the middle of the night, get all clutzy, and hurt yourself or something? Tell me!" he says practically ordering her to answer his questions.

She looks at Kyo and answers, "N-no Kyo-kun. I didn't get up at all last night. You… I walked into your door, remember?"

"I hit you with the door by accident." He groans, looking at the ground.

Tohru giggles and continues with her explanation, "I elbowed a mirror in my dream because I was so frightened. I didn't know what else to do so… I thought quickly. I freed an old man, Kyo-kun! He…" she thinks for a moment, tapping her chin with a finger that was attached to her uninjured arm, "was wearing your bracelet Kyo-kun," Tohru smiles proudly because she remembered what she was going to say and said it.

"My… bracelet?" he repeats quietly, looking at his wrist. "The Juzu beads…. Shishou's grandfather?" he exclaims in disbelief.

"His grandfather was the cat! I forgot all about that…" Yuki says getting to his feet and walks towards them.

Tohru looks at Kyo then Yuki and then back to Cat-san. "I … freed him. He must have been captive for quite some time." She says softly as she falls backward in pain and lands on the bed.

"Tohru!" "Miss Honda!" Kyo and Yuki call in the same instant.

"I'm fine." She rubs her elbow and ends up cutting her finger. "AH!" Tohru yelps in pain and lifts her hand revealing a small cut in her palm that was carefully trickling out her blood.

Kyo and Yuki run around the room frantically and then end up saying, "We'll be right back!" and run down stairs in search of gauze pads and sprays, bandages and ointments, as well as crutches and even more boxes of bandages.

She looks at her hand and then her elbow. "Shigure-san is going to be mad about all the stains on the bed sheets…" Tohru whispers and lifts her arms up so that the blood would eventually drip onto her clothes instead of the once completely spotless bed. Hearing Kyo and Yuki hurrying up the steps, she drops her arms in her lap as she sits up on the edge of the bed.

"Here Tohru!" Kyo yells competitively and runs to her, dropping to his knees, and grabbing her hand. He comfortably wraps a bandage around her hand after rubbing a disinfectant ointment on the large cut. "How's that!" he exclaims proudly, pouncing to his feet. "No one can rub in an ointment or wrap a bandage better then me, " he glances at Yuki who was working on the opposite arm due to her elbow, "Especially that damn Yuki!" he yells angrily at Yuki, shaking his arm around as he points at him frantically.

"Don't you ever shut up?" Yuki says softly sounding halfway annoyed.

"NO! I don't!" he yells at him, stomping one foot in his direction to make it seem intimidating.

Yuki sighs and says, "Well you should. You'll give Miss Honda an even worse headache."

Kyo's eyes go a little narrow and then he looks at Tohru and sighs, turning around to look at the ground while blushing incredibly. "You're lucky you can use Tohru as your defense every five seconds…" he mutters roughly and then glances at Yuki over his shoulder, his face a little less red now, "You suck at wrapping bandages… wimpy rat," Kyo grunts and crosses his arms over his chest.

"Shut up already." Yuki says sounding a little angrier then moments ago.

"Make me!" Kyo challenges turning around to face him, pointing his finger at Yuki once more. Seeing Tohru flinch and wince at their yelling, Kyo sighs and says, "I'm sorry, Tohru. I wont yell again… while your injured…" he adds the last part at the end because he knows he is physically and mentally incapable of not yelling for more then a few days.

Tohru smiles at the both of them and then lies on her bed cozily, nestling her head into her pillow. "Thank you Kyo-kun. Thank you Yuki-kun." She says happily as she closes her eyes just to rest for a little bit.

"Your welcome Honda-san." Yuki says bowing his head a little to show respect.

"No problem…" Kyo replies and hardly bows his head because he's too embarrassed to. "Just… don't get hurt… in your dreams again." He whispers and leaves the room.

* * *

**I just had to add some classic Kyo and Yuki competition and yelling. It felt like the perfect chance to get it in, even though this chapter is EXtremely significant. **


	16. The Woman Of, The Need For, Illness

**Chapter 16: Woman of the Shack, The Need For Information, and Illness…

* * *

**

**I'd like to re-start my Thanks Column. I couldn't stand not being able to thank my reviewers, but… now I will, once more. From now until the end of this story.

* * *

**

Akito slowly opens her eyes and rolls onto her back after awaking from her sleep. Her eyes were almost bloodshot and she was covered in droplets of sweat. They rolled off her skin at a sluggish pace, dampening the bed sheets just slightly. Akito narrows her eyes and then gradually sits up, against the backboard of the bed. "That wench… she woke me from my sleep…" her voice slowly fades even though it was full of strong, hatred-like emotion. "She… that Honda girl… is always disturbing me somehow! Freeing that monster, stealing my family, and now…destroying my dreams!" Akito exclaims, thrusting her right fist downward into the bed just to hear a spring rip loose and bounce around within the bedding. "Phft. I'll get back at her. I mean… doing what she did hurt her, and… she saw things she shouldn't have seen. Maybe… this can come to work to my advantage. I will make her normally peaceful dreams, nightmares…." Akito's final sentences were much quieter and a little calmer; it was as though her whole mind had been altered in some way. With a sigh, she shifts around and lies back on the bed completely, feeling the lump in the bed where the spring popped loose.

Looking out the window slowly, she sees the sun in its already risen position. It was completely up in the sky and gleaming with an eerie joy. It was far too happy a sight for Akito to lay eyes upon, so she closes the curtains to make her sleeping quarters much darker then they were just moments ago. "My, my… already the next day. Did that dream really last that long?" She asks herself as she changes into her daily clothes, which was always a kimono in whatever color that she felt like wearing. After being re-attired, Akito exits her room only to find Kureno sitting serenely in her living room, staring at a blank television since it was turned off.

"What are you doing here so late in the day, Kureno?" Akito asks, her eyes getting a little less narrow at the sight of Kureno. It actually made her gain the sense of joy.

He turns around and stares at her quietly, then pulls himself off the couch and onto his feet, facing in her direction. "I actually came over to make sure you were okay and feeling well. You have been leaving the house early lately and I guess…. I guess I assumed that you would do the same today. I'm sorry…" he bows his head as he offers his apology.

"Aw… worried about me?" Akito says, almost mockingly. "Well…" she walks closer to him and stops when she is beside him, "I'm just fine and I think its better if you stop assuming and just come here earlier from now on and check on me!" her tone of voice grew a little louder as she spoke and much more daunting. "What if I was dying! What…" she stops and thinks about what she can ask next and, after coming up with something, she says, "What if something went wrong with my plan and objective? MY DREAMS, KURENO!" Her voice was many times louder then before and the volume Kureno's ears were able to retain was exceeded greatly.

Kureno sighs, a slight groan hidden by his exhalation. "I'm sorry again, my dear Akito. From now on, I will come earlier to check up on you and your health. You're very right; you must be protected even in your sleep now. If the wrong person was to accidentally escape into your dreams, bad things can happen. Am I right?" he asks after reciting something that was sounding quite true to Akito.

Getting up onto her toes a little, Akito kisses Kureno's cheek and walks into the kitchen after doing so. "That's just what I thought. You know what I need… and… I think I can do with the protection. Now, make sure that in my sleep I show no signs of struggling or anger or pain. That way, if anything were to be happening you can quickly wake me up and I can enter the dream state once again with a little more strength. Hopefully… enough to kick that ass that is in that dream, out of it." Akito sounded much more sure of her safety now and she opens the refrigerator. Food and drink quickly find their way into her mouth and down her throat into her digestive system. With just a few gulps she re-enters the living room and sits on the couch, legs crossed and arms folded across her chest stubbornly. "Miss Honda is becoming quite a nuisance. Maybe… you can do something about it Kureno. Shut her up for good, maybe? Might it be possible… to have her body join her mothers… Have the buried together." Akito says this with a wide smile and a great deal of laughter. "This cracks me up!" Akito yells happily and Kureno merely nods, exiting the building with no type of sound whatsoever. But… that gave Akito a certain hope. A kind of hope she had when she found out Kureno gathered up Hiro, Momiji, Kisa, Rin, and Haru to lay down the rules for them. Unfortunately for Akito and Kureno, Momiji wasn't quite informed of his.

Kureno walks down the curving roads within the Sohma Estate and stops at a small hut. It was a one-room house; everything was inside that one room. The kitchen, the bed, the table and as small as the building was, each item fit perfectly. After knocking on the door, he waits for it to open. Slowly, he rings the doorbell and stares at the door. "Mrs. Sokay…" Kureno whispers quietly with his natural tone of voice. He knocks once more and his eyes slowly close into a narrowed position. "Open the door Mrs. Sokay! It's me, Kureno, the former Rooster…" he calls as he walks closer to the door.

Opening at a slow pace, an elderly woman looks at Kureno with weary eyes and then she swings the door open a little more. "Ah… Coo-Reno…" she says weakly, her throat some what sore. She was fully aware that she had pronounced his name the way it would be found in a dictionary instead of just saying it as a complete proper name. "What do I owe for this pleasant, yet rare, visit? Or… do you need something? Did Akito-san send you here for some sort of business?" She pauses for a deep inhalation and looks at the ground that separated the two of them. "Come inside boy…" Mrs. Sokay says demandingly and turns her back on Kureno, she walks over to the table that was just inches from her bed. Taking a seat at the table, she gestures to the other chair across from her, at the other end of the table. "Sit down, Kureno…" lady Sokay suggests rather forcefully. Kureno takes a seat, just as she had requested and sits quietly as she continues to speak, "Now, tell me what you need or want. I'm sure that's why you have graced me with your appearance…" Her expression was that of a very stern old woman. She was a very respected person within the walls of the Sohma Residency, yet there was never a mention of her in any type of association or membership. She refused to be a part of anything Akito was in charge of.

"I came here to ask you for some assistance. And… an object…" his voice gradually sifts into the air, dissipating with the serious expression on Mrs. Sokay's face. "Please, it is under Akito's orders that I get something done. And… you were the first person I thought to go to," Kureno's voice rises awkwardly, giving Sokay-san a start. He gets to his feet and stares down Mrs. Sokay with an angry expression. "You must give the item to me… you have to!" he demands, eyes flaring and practically burning her skin with just a few blinks.

Mrs. Sokay gathers herself up and rises to her own feet, as weak as she is at the moment. "Are you giving me orders now, Kureno?" She asks curiously, anger hidden in the hollow parts of her throat. At the sight of Kureno's slight nod, she narrows her eyes, walks over to the bedside opposite of her, and digs through a small dresser, pulling a wide variety of items out of the drawers. "It seems…that I cannot find said object…" her voice was quiet as she spoke almost under her breath. She filters through the items that she had taken from the dresser and comes upon a black velvet pouch with various symbols –in the color blue- embroiled in the material of the small sack. "I… suppose I was wrong…" this time she spoke a little louder; loud enough for Kureno to comprehend her words. "Here it is, boy…" she calls weakly, walking over to him with the pouch swinging from her index finger.

Stopping in front of Kureno, she sighs a little and pulls the item from its small, yet finely protective purse. Holding it delicately in her hands, Mrs. Sokay takes the handle in her hand and brings it up so that it stood vertical between her fingers. "What would Akito want with such a symbolic mirror?" She whispers to Kureno in a questioning form.

Kureno snatches the mirror from her clutches then follows up by yanking the pouch out of her other hand. He slips the mirror into its safe casing and drops that pouch into his pocket, letting it sink as deep as the pocket would allow. "Akito has her plans and I have the plans that I am s'pose to follow. Any questions about what I do…are to be asked to Akito. It is only under her authority and permission that her objectives are revealed," he turns around after addressing the smaller points of the current matters. Leaving the small house without another word, he listens to Mrs. Sokay curse loudly just before she slams her door shut. "It seems she didn't like my answers, but… I didn't like her nosey questions…" a soft smirk slips across his face as he walks back up the path toward the house Akito has always been a residence of.

The door opens just before he reaches the house and he is greeted by none other then Shigure. His smile was so false that it gave Kureno the sudden urge to question his arrival "What's going on, Shigure?" he asks as he walks up the small amount of steps to go past Shigure, trying to sound as if he weren't curious. "I mean, did Akito summon you here? Or did you just come to this house on your own?" Kureno's voice became more and more inquisitive with each question.

"Are you trying to say that I'm not welcome here, Kure-kun?" He says friendlily and drapes his arm across his shoulders as if they were great pals. "Well, even if I'm not welcome," he groans, dropping his hands into his own pockets, watching Kureno and following him, "I have news that will make Akito very happy and make her act right away…" he grins and hurries up the steps and into the house, to slump into the couch in the living room, "Go get Akito…" Shigure orders carelessly waving his hand around, not taking notice of the wobbling lamp that was on the small table beside the couch.

Kureno glares at Shigure quickly then trudges off toward the room that Akito sat in quietly; she was practically captivated by some pointless sitcom. "…and then you bring the sword around to your enemies neck. Gently drag the sword down and watch your enemy die before you in a pool of blood and-," the host on the television spoke clearly with a strange sense of enjoyment, and after noticing Kureno's entrance into the room, Akito hurriedly shuts off the tube by the remote and looks at him from her bed. "What do you want Kureno? You know this time is always sanctioned for what I want to do! Why do you even risk it all just to come into my room to irritate the hell out of me?" Her voice was booming and it even reached the ears of good old Shigure who continued to sit calmly on the couch, getting extremely comfortable.

"Akito…. Shigure-san has ordered me to come get you… I'm guessing it's important. I have probably just as important news." Kureno's voice was as quiet as ever when he spoke as if to make sure it was only Akito that could grasp his words. "Please…it's the object I knew you were going to ask for sooner or later. It'll grant you the abilities required to enter…. the dream world," the moment he was done talking, Akito leapt to her feet at an incredible speed and was walking towards him quickly, feeling around his pockets. "Its in my pocket… but…the casing around it is so smooth and soft that it would make anyone believe they were holding nothing in their hand…" Kureno was proud of what he'd done and he knew that before long Akito would be gratefully thanking him over and over again.

Instead, Akito whispers, "Let's go see if Shigure's news can compete with yours, shall we?" Kureno angrily follows her as she exits the room with gliding types of steps. The both of them enter the living room only to find Shigure lying on her -once clean- couch, his feet on one of the arms. "What're you doing you stupid buffoon?" Akito questions roughly, approaching the couch with an increasing acceleration. Stopping at the couch, just in front of Shigure, Akito growls at him, full of raw and strengthening rage. "Get your lazy dog ass up and tell me what you want to!" Akito encourages him, her eyes narrow as they locked on to him as if he were a target.

Shigure sighs and shrugs a little, sitting up for a moment, then drags himself to his feet. "The news is huge. And, even though you may already know of it, I thought it would be fair of me to inform you anyway," Shigure waves his hands around a little just as playful as always. "Now…I know you are probably upset that Kyo has gotten loose, and as you may say 'there's a monster on the streets', but I know exactly where he is. And, if there was ever a stupid cat, it's him…" the dog of the juunishi allows his voice to trail away dully, as something he saw through a window caught his attention. "Um… Akito, why is the old cat flying past your window? A ghostly visit or something?" Shigure says trying to calm his pulsing nerves.

Simultaneously, Akito and Kureno glance out the window and the both of them sigh. Kureno obviously was remembering what Akito had said earlier in the day. With a slight exhalation, Akito states, "All of this is that little brats doing. She had a dream last night I guess and broke all my beautiful mirrors. MY PROPERTY! I should break her face the same way she broke that glass!" Akito's voice was suddenly high-pitched and was making Kureno and Shigure wince at the sound.

"I think you are getting far too extreme my dear Akito. Just calm down and take deep…non-killing related, breaths. Calm your nerves," Shigure whispers, nervous as he tells her to calm down. It was as if he were giving her an order. In the sanctuary called the 'Sohma Estate' Shigure was 'ranked' far lower then Akito, the only people the Juunishi ranked higher then –if it was possible to rank the inhabitants- was the people that weren't a part of the Zodiac.

With a sleek grin, Akito rubs her hands together, sits in a one-person chair, and twiddles her thumbs weakly. "If my plan gets screwed up any further… I …"

"Don't talk like that…" Kureno says softly, kneeling down beside the chair, taking her hand quickly in his. "Everything will work out the way you planned…. Patience may be key…" he offers as a consolation.

Shigure looks at the both of them and raises his left eyebrow, rubbing his chin with his right hand. "I dare say… you all are planning something and I don't know what it is…" His voice was quiet and prying. He was like a human crowbar that dug into others lives just so he can consume the information they spoke. Receiving an awkward stare from both Akito and Kureno, he goes on, "Let me in on the plan. I bet I can be of some use. Seeing as I know where Kyo is, it may come in handy…"

At that point in time, Akito was a little zoned out, up until the second she heard Kyo's name mentioned by Shigure. "Where is that ferocious feline?" Akito barks viciously at Shigure, tossing herself out of the chair just to stomp towards the dog of the juunishi. "Tell me now, Shigure!" She demands, stomping her left foot on the beige carpeted floor. Her leg gives out and Kureno grabs her swiftly, pulling her frail body to its feet and holding her there. "Just…answer my question, Shigure…. so I can get some sleep…" Her voice runs away with the passing breeze that was just outside.

"Tell me what you're planning. Tell me why I am seeing ghosts among us…" Shigure responds sternly, his face bearing the uneasiness of a serious expression.

Kureno sits Akito down on the couch Shigure was on previously, and walks up to the Dog. Meeting eye to eye, the former rooster glares at him, "Don't give your Lord ultimatums. You are just dirt compared to her glory; she's a mountain and you're the crumbs that fall!" his voice was loud once again as it was a very rare sight and also painful on the opposite person's part.

"You got to work on your yelling, Kure-kun…" Shigure waves his index finger jokingly and smiles softly, "Don't worry, I'll tell Akito-san even if she refuses to let me in on her mischievous objectives and what not…" He tilts his head and blinks lovingly at the two of them, "See, I'm man… and women's best friend. Aren't I cute?" The clown side of Shigure finally reveals itself and begins to bounce around in his eyes that were becoming more and more animated by the second.

**XxX**

Kyo and Tohru sit in the living room quietly watching Mogeta on the television set. While doing this they get distracted by Kisa and Katsuro's constant running and screaming. They were playing tag during the new episode of Mogeta and it was seriously irritating the hell out of Kyo. "SIT DOWN GOD DAMMIT!" Kyo shouts, his now closed hand twitching and pulsing with anger. The two children drop instantly and stare at the television silently watching Mogeta take on an evil soup can and the mistress of some strange looking castle. "This episode is getting dumber by the second…" Kyo grumbles under his breath, looking around blankly. "I wonder if she's okay…" he adds, saying this much quieter then his preceding sentence.

Tohru smiles at him and then rubs her head a little. "I'm feeling much better Kyo-kun!" A large smile spreads across her face and it was genuine, no strings attached. He instantly blushes and looks at her with the same expression as when he was with her in the forest when they were walking home such a long time ago. It was the first time he was really alone with her. She told him… _I love you! I mean… I always loved the cat from the Zodiac!_ He smiles and very lightly, he taps her on top of the head with his fist. She smiles and looks back at the television. "Run Mogeta-san! Run!" Tohru calls helplessly, her hands cupped together as if she were praying for the Anime character's safety.

The front door creaks open and in comes Yuki and Haru. They gradually enter the living room and sit in two armchairs that were side by side, talking to each other the entire time.

"Hello…" Tohru waves a little and drops her hand quickly, "Oh… I'm sorry. I hope I didn't disturb anything. I mean… I'm just so sorry…" she sighs and looks at them sadly. The bandage Kyo tied around her hand was still there and so was the bandage that Yuki wrapped around her elbow area. The bump's swelling diminished to nothing.

Haru smiles and looks at Tohru. "You weren't intruding… believe me. Actually, we were talking about Momiji and Hiro," the moment the two kids heard Hiro's name they whipped their heads up and looked attentively at Haru and Yuki, "they are upset about something but they refuse to even crack. They wont say one word and to be honest, it's quite annoying. I almost turned black because of Momiji's random crying! It's a sob story whenever I come near Momiji's house!" Haru slaps his forehead a little and rubs the spot he hit to see if it hurt even the slightest. "I just don't understand… he's going to make me worry! Damn kid!"

Kyo gets up and walks over to them, leaving Tohru on the couch by herself. "Watch the anime, Tohru… I'll be right back…" he says softly and exits the living area, just to enter a bathroom down the hallway, the last door.

Opening it, he walks in and closes it, locking it behind him and jiggling the knob to make sure of this. Finally, he turns around and looks into the mirror, almost collapsing against the sink. He stops himself from falling by taking hold of the edge of the sink and looks down into the drain. His eyes followed the cork that plugged it up so that too much water didn't get into the pipes. One circle he made after another. "One… two… three…" soon enough three became five and five became ten. Eventually, he looks back up and into the mirror. His face was almost a pale white but it was clearly unnoticeable in the darkness of the living room because they had set it up so that they could watch Mogeta peacefully.

Something was bothering him and he didn't know what. Deep inside the pit of his stomach, it was aching. The terrible feeling of nausea and pain was mixing together and soon enough he found himself pulling the lids of the toilet bowl up and puking into it. He drops to his knees and continues to throw up into the toilet, flushing every few moments. His vision was blurry and his body felt both cold and warm at the same time. At one time, he'd have the chills but then his body would rise to an extremely hot temperature. Sweat beaded down his forehead as well as his arms and even down his back and chest.

Kyo pulls his shirt off and tosses it to the side. The abnormal heat was unbearable it was like the sun was hovering above him to act as his own personal oven. "What… the hell is going…on…?" he groans in pain and wraps his arms around his stomach tightly before throwing up once more into the –now terribly dirty- toilet. His fingers run down his sides and he got the feeling that he was touching every bone and that if he were to push too hard they would shatter just like glass slammed against the wall or dropped onto the floor.

**XxX**

Akito laughs proudly as she sits in her room. She was at her dresser, holding the mirror Kureno had taken from Mrs. Sokay in her left hand as she peered around it to look into the large mirror that was connected to the dresser. The small, hand held mirror was projecting a picture as clear as day onto the large mirror. That hologram type image was of Kyo suffering in the bathroom at Shigure's house and the ground level of the house.

"Does it work to your likings Akito?" Kureno asks softly hoping that he will be rewarded for his efforts.

"It is a delightful object…" Akito's voice trails off as she laughs evilly at the pain Kyo is feeling. His body was shaking in the mirror and within seconds, he was lying on the cold tile in the bathroom, in pain. Kyo soon had blood slowly oozing out of the old wounds on his back.

* * *

**There's chapter 16. This is the LONGEST chapter I have ever typed I think… so… I hope you all enjoy. I'm sorry if its hard to follow. "**

**:THANKS:**

**DarkKyo:As always I love your reviews and I hope you continue to enjoy this story as it progresses. Thanks for the wonderful reviews so far!**

**KittLuvr: The importance of the 15th chapter will be explained later on in the story. Sad to say that the answer was not in this chapter. I'm sorry that you had to read last chapter a lot " I had a feeling it was a little confusing. Thanks for the review! And I hope you continue to enjoy!**

**Suma Susaki: Yes, Tohru's dream is very significant to the story. I can't really say much more for now, but you'll find out sooner or later. I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter! And I hope you enjoy this one! Thank you for reviewing for such a long time!**

**Turdle: I hope more ppl review XD. I think you're the first person to read/review my new chapter once they're posted. Haha. I hope you continue to enjoy and thank you very much for the review!**


	17. Worry of Loss

**Chapter 17: Worry of Loss

* * *

**

**Here is chapter 17. It definitely explains more towards the end, hopefully everyone will be hooked to what's going on… as… you all may find out about even more things. Omg, I sound dumb, I'm gonna stop blabbering on and let you read. ENJOY! Lol.

* * *

**

The day grew darker and soon enough, within only ten minutes, the sun was actually on the other side of the Earth because of the rotation.

Meanwhile, Tohru sits on the couch in the living room talking to Haru and Yuki while watching the two kids run around enthusiastically. She smiles occasionally and just barely catches glimpses of the hallway Kyo went down only fifteen minutes ago. The anxiety was building up inside her body and every few seconds a cold chill would run up and down her spine trying to tell her something. She shakes and turns herself around completely, instantly sidetracked by an awkward feeling. "Kyo's been in the bathroom for quite some time…" Tohru whispers softly, yet it was loud enough for both Yuki and Haru to comprehend.

"Well, maybe he's reading a newspaper…." Haru suggests softly, laughing deep down inside.

Yuki slaps his forehead and gets to his feet from the armchair he was sitting on. "I'll check on that stupid cat I guess…." Yuki gives in, slightly annoyed that Haru didn't offer to do this since it's usually him who is friendly with everyone.

Heading down the hallway slowly, Yuki reaches the bathroom door and puts his ear to the wood. After listening for a moment or two, he knocks on the door and awaits an answer. "Baka neko!" Yuki exclaims out of irritation. "You're going to get Honda-san worried at this rate, open the door!" He continues to yell, but not loud enough for Tohru's ears to put the words together. He jingles the bathroom door's knob and then pushes the door open slowly, "I'm coming in…" Yuki informs quietly, entering the bathroom at an extremely cautious and slow speed. His eyes get large instantly and he stares at Kyo's motionless body on the bathroom tile. "KYO!" Yuki shouts in shock allowing everyone in the living room to become alert and ready to act if needed. At that same time, Yuki drops down beside Kyo and looks at him, shaking him by his arm a little, "Hey! You just got here you idiot! Get up!" Yuki growls trying to sound as impatient as he can.

Tohru couldn't help it, nor stand it any more. She gets to her feet and hurries down the hall to stop at the doorway of the bathroom, thinking over her choices. Should she go in or not? What if there wasn't any problem at all and they were just starting a fight with each other? Then again… why would Yuki shout Kyo's name as if he in disbelief? Within seconds, Tohru comes to a solid decision.

Entering the bathroom, she walks up behind Yuki and looks down at Kyo's body. "Kyo-kun!" She yells desperately, tears slowly making their way out of her eyes. Gradually they pour down her cheeks and drip to the floor. "Wake up Kyo-kun! Tell me your okay!" Her voice was full of complete worry; there was no doubt in Yuki's mind that she was on the verge of breaking down because of him. Tohru drops to her knees behind Yuki and covers her face with her hands. "I don't want to lose you again Kyo-kun…" she sobs into her hands, her words muffled by her weeping and her hands.

"He'll be fine, Honda-san. D-don't worry…" Yuki says sounding unsure of what he was telling her. She was being given all the reason in the world to be sad and worried at the moment. The person she loved looked like he was dead. His body was pale and there was bloodstains all over the back of his shirt and a bruise on his forehead that was slowly becoming a lump.

Tohru looks at Kyo through her barely spread out fingers. "He…. he looks sick. And…the bathroom smells…" she looks at the toilet and nausea befalls her. Tohru wraps her arms around her stomach weakly and groans. "I think I'm going to…. be sick…" she leans back and forth becoming dizzy and faintly ill. "Ah…" Tohru staggers to her feet and beads forward, hovering over the sink a little, "Um..." she groans once more and pukes into the sink, yelping in pain.

"Honda-san!" Yuki shouts attentively, turning around just to see her slump down the sink cabinets and lean against the wall weakly. "What's…. going on? Is it some kind of contagious flu? A virus of some sort…" he whispers in confusion looking from Tohru to Kyo over and over again until he stops between them so that his eyes can see glimpses of the both of them. In seconds, sweat was beading down his forehead and filling his face with water just like falling rain in a hole. Yuki gets up, leaving the both of them on the ground regretfully, and then looks at the mirror. His face was slowly getting white like a sheet. "What…"

Haru walks into the bathroom, his hands against Kisa and Katsuro's chest to keep them back. "What's going on in here Yuki?" Haru asks just before he notices that Tohru and Kyo were lying across the floor lifelessly. "What happened to them!" His voice rose and in an instantly he had become **black. **Suddenly, he realizes that Yuki was becoming mesmerized by the mirror and quickly, he grabs hold of Yuki's arm and yanks him out of the bathroom. Within a minute, Yuki was back to himself, his pigment returning to its natural color, not being white anymore. Haru takes another peek into the bathroom and then at the mirror. He turns around, pulls a toy from Katsuro's hand, and lasers it at the mirror, shattering it into a million pieces, most of which fell into the sink or on the sink counter. Some dropped beside Tohru and Kyo but only a few shards grazed their skin.

Yuki looks into the bathroom will Haru, taking up the rest of the space that can be seen through, which means the two kids couldn't see anything. "The mirror…. once it broke, it felt better. Like… there was nothing wrong with me in the first place…" Yuki mutters in almost disbelief. He wasn't able to understand why something like this –as strange as this- had happened to them. He looks at Kyo and Tohru and sees them slowly begin to move, almost rocking back and forth in draining agony. Yuki takes a full step into the bathroom, glass cracking under his shoe-covered feet.

At the sound of the glass, both Tohru and Kyo groan quietly and move a little more, seeming to regain the ability to move. Their mouths open a couple times but nothing comes out that was legible, it was either gasps or groans of pain. Finally, Tohru speaks with the sound of a sore throat, "I…" she clears her throat and rubs it a little, "feel a little better now…but…oohh…" Tohru groans once again and wraps her arms tightly around her lower abdomen. She takes a quick look at Kyo and gradually pushes herself onto her knees as she crawls over to him, glass getting carefully wedged into her delicate skin. She yelps and almost gives into the pain by dropping down a little.

Yuki hurries over to her and pulls her off the ground and out of the bathroom. "Haru… bring Honda-san, Katsuro, and Kisa-chan upstairs. Clean out Honda-san's wounds and bandage it up. I think one of her hands is already bandaged up so… the wounds on that one should be far easier to clean and such…" Yuki says, ordering them to take her upstairs and get her back into shape.

After they leave the hallway and head upstairs, Yuki walks deeper into the bathroom and looks at Kyo who was leaning against the bathtub, his head against the edge of it. Kneeling down beside him, he looks at the blood on his back. "That's the wound from when we first saw him… after we freed him from that shack…" Yuki mutters in slight confusion, and then puts his hand under Kyo's chin, lifting his head up a little so that he can have the light in the bathroom shine on his face. "He looks as pale as I did… and as pale as Honda-san was earlier…" the wonder in his voice was building rapidly and before long he was pulling Kyo to his feet and hauling him out of the bathroom. Placing him down against the wall, he re-enters the bathroom and stomps his foot on a larger piece of the mirror. In an instant, Kyo's eyes shot open and he fell forward onto the wood floor that was throughout the house. Spinning around, a small proud smile crosses Yuki's face. "So that's it… the mirror…." he says softly, walking toward Kyo at a slow pace and helps him to his feet. "I'm only helping you because I don't want Honda-san to be worried about you all night…" Yuki says quickly, walking with Kyo out of the hallway and up the steps to where everyone else was.

Tohru peers past Haru and out the bathroom that was upstairs. "Kyo-kun! You're okay!" She exclaims, a wide smile leaping across her face in a matter of seconds. Pulling herself off the bathroom sink, she pushes past Haru, whispering 'sorry' as she does so, and stops in front of a weak Kyo. "How are you feeling?" Tohru asks quickly, in a short type of worry and then looks at Yuki, "Thank you for helping Kyo-kun, Yuki-kun!" says Tohru, thankfully and then asks, "Are you okay too?"

Face still slightly pale, Kyo looks at Tohru and manages a half smile and then pulls away from Tohru and enters his 'still' empty bedroom and sits against his wall.

Kyo stares at his hands as he leans against his wall weakly. "Why… why did I get the same feeling I did when I had that dream back in that dungeon. I felt so cold… and useless… and nauseous…" Kyo sighs, rubs his hands together, and sees small grazes on his arms from what looked like chunks of glass. "What the hell… is going on these days…?" He asks himself, wishing that the answer would appear in the palms of his hands as a hologram or something. After telling himself that it wont happen, he drops his arms limply to his sides and stares forward at his door, hoping that it will open to reveal Tohru's shining expression. The doorknob jingles and a surge of happiness roars through Kyo's body. But when it opened, it was Haru that entered, closing the door behind him.

"Kyo… I think I know how Isuzu-kun died…" Haru says sadly, glancing at Kyo and the floor at the same time. Eventually, he takes a step towards Kyo and that one step became many before he reached him and sat beside him, his legs pulled up a little so that his feet were flat on the ground. "At first… I though Akito ruthlessly beat her until blood was pouring out of her from every part of her body. Thankfully…that's not the case… at least, not in my current state of beliefs…" Haru adds quietly, and then looks at Kyo with a smirk. "Akito was making you feel sick to your stomach somehow and got you to go into the bathroom, where she knew you'd be alone. How she did it, I have not one god damn clue, but what matters is that she knows how to do it. Now… the moment I broke the bathroom mirror…Yuki snapped out of his trance. I think Akito was trying to gain control of Yuki as well as you and Tohru-chan." He says, rubbing his chin and then the back of his head with both hands. "Ya know what I think-." he stops due to being cut off by Kyo.

"I don't care what you think, Haru!" Kyo shouts, getting to his feet quickly, looking down at Haru who was taken slightly aback. "All I want to do is kill that snotty little bitch! She's so damn stuck up and manages to get whatever she wants! I'm going to stop that, got it Haru?" Kyo says roughly, watching Haru get to his feet to meet eyes. With a slight urge to laugh, Kyo smirks at Haru and watches him pat him on the shoulder. "What was that for?" He questions curiously.

Haru smiles and nods, "You really are one headstrong guy, Kyo…" he continues and says, "if I'm not with you when you go and try to stop Akito, then I wish you good luck…"

Kyo groans and rubs his forehead, pulling away from Haru. "You really sounded like a jackass just now…" Haru manages a laugh and a thanking smile.

"I know, didn't I? You know what I mean though, Kyo. I just wish you would allow me to kill her or stop her…or something of the sort…" Haru grins and then gives Kyo a small thumbs up and exits the room without another word.

He stares at the door as Haru closes the door and sighs a little. "I'm not doing this for Isuzu…as much as I do feel bad. I'm doing this…. for…"

**XxX**

Akito glares at the large mirror on her dresser and then looks at Shigure and Kureno who were occasionally coming in and out of the room. She grunts and then places the small, hand held mirror back into its velvet sheath. "Haru…. is learning too quickly. He is supposed to be the stupid Ox. The one that helped the Rat become the first animal of the Juunishi," Akito screeches in annoyance and places the pouch on the dresser, approaching Shigure and Kureno who were on their knees on top of two cushions. "Are you two going to just sit there the whole time and not say anything?"

With a short sigh, Shigure pulls himself to his standing position, moves forward to Akito, looks at her, and rubs his chin. "Just a suggestion…. but… maybe you should explain to me what is going on. I mean… when I was coming in and out of the room I swear I thought I saw Kyo in that large mirror… and… it didn't look pretty…" as he speaks, he stares past her at the mirror on the dresser and the small pouch that the hand held mirror was being contained by. "So… may you tell me what is going on?" Shigure asks out of pure curiosity, "You sure have Kureno under the impression that I can't know anything…" he laughs softly as he continues stroking his chin.

Grinning a little, Akito leans against the dresser and looks at both Kureno and Shigure. "You may have a point, Shigure. Should I really tell you _everything_?" Akito asks, her grim smirk growing wider. Shigure nods and then she sees Kureno nod also, his head bowed now. "Have I not told you all that you needed to know, Kureno?" She questions, raising her eyebrows incredulously.

He looks at Akito and then at the ground again, his hands pressed against the carpeted floor. "Well…not everything. I mean… some things you've kept to yourself. Like, how did you find out about the mirrors and how they work? Actually… what do they really do? Why were they made? What can _you _do with them?" Kureno stops himself and then recovers by saying, "I'm sorry about my constant questioning…"

Akito rubs her forehead a little and looks at the both of them, sighing once again. "You two are slower then that dumb old Ox," she says under her breath out of slight annoyance. "Okay, first thing… I found out about the mirrors and how they work from an Ancient book written by… the ancestors of the Sohma family. Good enough answer for you two?" with their short nod, she continues on, "The mirrors allow you to enter many things… dreams, past, present, and future. They were made to foresee who the next person to be born under the curse would be… On the other hand, I use them for much better reasons," an evil grin curls up across her lips and the two grown men continued to attentively listen, "Such as… making people's lives miserable, changing those persons' dreams and futures. So many things. I can even take control of them and make them sick to their stomachs, as you saw with that Honda girl and the monster…" she adds plainly, rubbing her hands together to gain a little warmth.

Kureno and Shigure blink many times and then the former rooster gets to his feet to stand beside the dog. "You… have so much power over them now, Akito-san. You will definitely get your everlasting banquet soon, or just total control," Kureno was smiling, quite pleased about hearing what the mirrors do and what strong powers they possess.

On the other hand, though, Shigure didn't look all too content with Akito's words. "You haven't told us how it works. All you have is a little mirror, how have you been doing it without it?" he asks, his left eyebrow raising inquisitively.

"Ah…" Akito responds with a mere breath and then adds, "I use two mirrors and channel my Sohma Lordship into them…simple as that, oh loyal dog one…" the entire sentence was being said as if it were completely obvious, but it wasn't as simple as Akito was making it sound. You needed to have mirrors that were equal in mass, but one had to be small and the other had to be large. Also, the person you are trying to use in some way had to have some sort of mirror near by, something that reflects another element. In Kyo's dream, it was the many windows, in Tohru's dream, it was the fifty mirrors and the mirror on her dresser within her bedroom, and earlier in the day the sickness incident, there was a large mirror in the bathroom. "It's quite easy…" Akito says once more and much more proudly then before.

Kureno and Shigure let out hidden sighs and then try to under stand what Akito said about how they worked. They weren't told of how she used the mirrors but they did witness the one that happened earlier in the day where Tohru and Kyo got sick to their stomachs, they have yet to have been _completely _informed on the dreams…. and… how Rin's death really occurred. For the fact that, Akito never laid a hand on Isuzu…

* * *

**There's chapter 17! I typed this one before I started HNB's next chapter. I gotta start that one tomorrow now. So… the next chapter to Kan Yume will come… in a week or two. Sorry!

* * *

**

**Thanks:**

**Suma Susaki- Dead pizza? How creative,lol. Well, I hope you liked the chapter! Continue to R/R**

**Ultimate Furuba Freak- I'm glad to see you back! I've missed your reviewing! I remember ur first review for Aikyou…u threatened me with a machete XD! Lol. And… I don't think my story has feet and I hope you continue to enjoy KanYume!**

**HaPPychEEryX92- I updated as quick as I could and surprisingly the chapter came out really good! Lol. Please enjoy!**

**DarkKyo- I love your reviews! And I'm glad to see that you are really caught up in Kan Yume… I've got you hooked! Mwahahahah,lol Well, here's the seventeenth chapter, I hope this answers some of your questions if not…leave whatever questions you want answered and I'll make sure to answer them in the upcoming chapters one way or another. Please continue to enjoy and R&R! w00t**


	18. Momiji & Hiro Relieved

**Chapter 18: Momiji & Hiro- Relieved

* * *

**

**There it is. Chapter 18! Progress has been made. This chapter finally features the other Sohmas. Which I enjoy doing. Cause, most of their personalities are so fun to work with! Enjoy!

* * *

**

Kyo keeps still in his bedroom for many periods of time, remaining undisturbed by everyone. It was amazing how people can first be so aware of your pain then instantly ignore it. **_They aren't leaving me alone just to ignore me… to shun me… it's for my own good. So I can think things over. Haru must have told them about when I said and how I am going to find Akito and take her down. Even if she is a girl…._** His mind was racing and thoughts were popping around like crackling popcorn. "How am I going to even get into that damn Estate?" Kyo asks himself, rubbing the top of his head as he contemplates this.

Meanwhile in Tohru's bedroom, Haru and Yuki, as well as Tohru, sat around, talking with extremely soft voices. "I don't know what came over me… I just suddenly didn't feel too well. When I finally realized where I was, again… the glass was all over the floor. Shigure-san… won't like that, he'll be angry with me again…" Tohru sighs after speaking of what she remembered from when she entered the bathroom to see if Kyo was okay earlier.

Haru slaps his forehead, slightly surprised by her worry of Shigure's reaction. "It doesn't matter if he gets mad, Tohru-kun. It's just good that you didn't get hurt or anything. But… what bugs me is that when the mirror shattered, you and Kyo became fine… in an instant," he found himself talking even quieter then before and lying back a little only to lean against the wall. Haru was soon emerged in his thoughts, almost drowning in them as they begin to take up too much space in his head. He found himself gasping for air on the inside then closing and reopening his eyes after a couple seconds. "I think Akito's doing all of this. She's torturing all of us one way or another… and oddly enough, I think a mere mirror is more then enough for her to tap into her souls or… anything I guess…"

For some reason, Haru was acting too sophisticated and all knowing, so Yuki gets up from a chair he was sitting in, in Tohru's room and looks at him. "A mirror? Heh… Haru? You're kidding me," as he said this though, a sense of fear arouse from his voice. He couldn't help but recall Tohru's dream that had only occurred a day ago. **_Did Akito cause that? _**He asks himself then glances at her, fright creeping up into his eyes to make them somewhat glazy. "A-Akito… you think… she's doing all of this? Wha… why her though? Is this because we freed Kyo?" Finally, the memory of being contained in almost the same room as Kyo was coming to mind. A cold feeling dripped down his back, making sweat cover his neck, making him instantaneously rub the nape of his neck.

Haru was able to sense Yuki's fear and he pulls himself from the wall just to walk to him and make sure he's feeling okay. "Yo… Yuki. Don't let Akito faze you anymore, all right? I wouldn't let the first person I ever loved get her by that little …" Haru glances at Tohru and picks a different choice of words, "brat…" it was clear that he didn't want to offend anyone with any type of foul language.

Both Tohru and Yuki stare at Haru after he says 'the first person I ever loved'. "Can you please stop saying that? You know it gives people the wrong impression…" he groans and looks down, his face basically as white as a sheet. "And… I'm not afraid of Akito. I just can't believe she's always finding a way to ruin things in my life. Even if I'm not her target this time. Lately her aim's been towards Kyo as I'm guessing and… some how… that's bothering me…" he whispers, the shadow his hair was creating over his face gave all of them an awkward feeling.

A slight smile made its way across Haru's face slyly. He didn't even realize he was smiling yet; the urge to laugh was swirling around in his body. He was just about in the middle of black and regular Haru, which was making him feel weird, yet he had the sense of serenity as well. Approaching Yuki, he stops right in front of him and leans his head to his ear and whispers, "You're feeling bad for Kyo 'cause you know it bothers Tohru-kun…" a smirk crosses his face after saying this and he was able to notice an annoyed cringe in Yuki's expression, "Do you love Tohru-kun…?" Haru asks, going around to behind Yuki, his head in the same position as it was before, only he was more comfortable since he was just leaning his head forward in a normal stance.

Moving away from Haru startlingly, Yuki spins around to face him, blushing wildly. He shook his head from side to side as if to say 'no' but mouthed the word 'yes' instead. Yuki begins to calm down a little after realizing that he can actually talk to someone about his love for 'Honda-san'. So, he turns back around to look at Tohru and lets out an unnoticeable sigh. "If it really is Akito doing all of this stuff, then I think we have to avoid being near any mirrors and such," the moment he said this, Haru stared at him. "I know… it's probably going to be an almost impossible thing to do… but that's all I've come up with…"

Haru pats Yuki on the shoulder and laughs with a large, humorous smile widespread across his face. After everything that was going on, Tohru seemed to have the same spacious look on her face, like she was thinking about other things that were just as important. "Yuki-kun… uhm… Haru-kun… do you think… well maybe we should just remove all of the mirrors in the house. If we ask Shigure-san first that is… Like, you can explain everything, right? And then we can all be safe," she was proud of her distant thought process even though it was almost exactly what Yuki said.

The door of her bedroom slowly creaks open and in comes Kyo, straight faced –completely serious- and ready for a real conversation. Then… he ruined it, since he's Kyo and can't contain himself without getting pissed off about something, but he managed to tune it down, "Let's talk about that gender-bender. I can't fricken deal with her interfering with everything. She's making my whole damn life a living hell! I know what she's up to… I… I can feel it in my veins… its like a sixth sense." Kyo sighs and places his hand on the top of his head and bringing it down so that it covers his face for a moment. He drops his hand back to his side and looks at them wearily, "Maybe not a sixth sense. But… it just seems a little familiar. Like its happened before…" after receiving a questioning stare from both Haru and Yuki, he explodes with a seconds worth of anger, "God dammit! Just trust me for once!"

That was it though. All they needed to hear was in that final sentence that Kyo spoke. All his life people interrupted him in some way. He wanted to be heard for once to be trusted like everyone else in the world. The people closest to them trusted them with the world, with their most valuable secrets and items. Kyo was never given that chance because of how everyone depicted him and how he grew up. Everyone blamed him for everything and called him a variety of names. Murderer. Crazy. Anger-driven. Yet, in truth, he was a calm and fun loving person. He had to be known and that happened only a couple times. Mostly when he was younger and lived with Shishou.

Tohru gets up from the bed and looks at Kyo softly, tilting her head ever so slightly to the right, a gentle smile occupying her face to give him the need to smile back, like he always did. And that's just what happened, the smallest smile ever was formed and no one noticed it except her. "Kyo-kun… I trust you." She beamed happily, her head no longer tilted in any way. Haru grins and grabs Kyo's head grinding his knuckles through his hair and against his skull.

"Stop it you idiot! That hurts!" Kyo shouts, but on the inside he was laughing like a child. Quickly, he pulls away from Haru's grasp and falls down, and then leans against the dresser he was near.

**XxX**

Downstairs, in Shigure's house, the door was being knocked on wildly and whimpering was echoing through the walls and into Tohru's bedroom.

"I'll get it…" Tohru says cheerfully, going down the steps quickly so that whoever was at the door wouldn't leave. After reaching the door, she slides it open and exclaims a sweet, "Hello!" and spots Momiji and Hiro in tears. "Wha? Aw… are you two okay? What happened?" She kneels down and smiles at them, trying to calm them in some way.

Momiji sniffles and rubs his nose then his face, making his face red and eyes sting. "I'd think you'd be sad and crying too… T-Tohru-kun!" He says quite loudly, making Haru and Yuki come down the stairs, being followed in the shadows by Kyo. "Especially after what has happened! It even made Hiro-chan cry! It's so sad! Akito even said it like it was a good thing… she's so cruel! I don't know how she could do such a thing!" He was talking almost in riddles and it gave Tohru not one clue what was going on, but she felt bad that they were sad and that was all that really mattered at the moment.

Following suit, Hiro rubs all over his face and sobs, his eyes were hardly even open. "Committing such a thing twice in a matter of weeks. First Isuzu-chan and then… and then…" he couldn't even finish the sentence, he began crying too hard. For the first time ever, Hiro was actually making sense, he wasn't talking in his like brat, know-it-all type of tone. "For some reason…" he whimpers, " I can believe that she'd do such a thing… but…" Hiro throws himself at Tohru, and Momiji copies the youthful jyunishi. The both of them hug her and transform after a couple seconds. Tohru hugs them comfortingly and sighs a little hoping that they'll be okay soon.

"Can you… maybe tell me what happened?"

Kyo approaches the three of them, and puts his hand on Tohru's head, leaning over to look at them. "What are those brats crying for?" he asks out of aggravation. "I think I deserve at least one day without hearing a person whining about something…"

Tohru smiles and looks up at Kyo a little. "Kyo-kun… I think something happened back at the main house…" she whispers to him so that they wouldn't hear much, which, in result, wouldn't affect them as greatly as it probably would have if she had spoken any louder.

The two slowly stop crying and their animal forms glance upward to see Kyo staring down at them. Within seconds they were rubbing their eyes and climbing up Tohru to get on her shoulders, despite the fact that it was quite an ache having them there, but she didn't seem to mind it much. "AKITO-SAN SAID SHE KILLED YOU KYO!" Momiji shouts, completely baffled.

Blinking many times, Kyo slaps his forehead with the hand he had on Tohru's head. "Your kidding me…. that little… God dammit… she makes up lie after lie… and people actually believe it," Kyo groans, dragging his hand down his face before finally letting it drop back to his side.

Hiro glares at Kyo angrily, yet relief was widespread through his body. "I HATE YOU! I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD!" he shouts loudly, poofing back into his human form, quickly changing back into his clothes. Quickly, after being re-clothed, Hiro launches himself at Kyo and begins choking him, making Kyo fall backward and hit the ground.

"GET OFF OF ME YOU BRAT!" Kyo exclaims only to receive small chuckles and awkward stares from Yuki, Haru, Momiji, Tohru, and Kisa and Katsuro who just came back down stairs.

* * *

**Hope you all enjoyed. Review with whatever comments you want. Flame me if need be. **

**Thanks:**

**DarkKyo: And I continue to love your reviews! Mwahaha! I have you under my clutches! You will read this story without knowing what your doing! Addicted to my story! U damned me a lot…lmao**

**I love your stories too though! I'm glad you're still enjoying Kan Yume and hope you continue to read and review. Maybe you can predict what will happen next? Huh? Bet you wont come close **

**Ultimate-Furuba-Freak: AHH! I'm so happy you reviewed again. And omg… Flocinajrnsmtjewtj w/e it is brings back memories of earlier this year! XD. Oh no! My story is walking away with its new found/drawn feet!**

**Suma Susaki: I'm happy that the summary is becoming clearer! And… Akito must have gotten sick after eating that dead pizza,lol**


	19. Returning To A Familiar Place

**Chapter 19: Returning To A Familiar Place****

* * *

**

**This is my first really light chapter for this story... till you get to the last couple paragraphs. It's more on the calm and funny side.

* * *

**

Hiro was continuing to hit Kyo over and over again, his eyes closed as he does so. "GIVE ME MY TEARS BACK! YOU STOLE THEM FROM ME! YOU IDIOT!" He yells recklessly, throwing his arms around wildly. At the sound of this many-times-used-line, Momiji burst out laughing, rolling around uncontrollably at Kyo's reaction to whatever Hiro says.

"Get this damn monkey off me!"

"NOT A MONKEY! RAM! I'M A RAM!" Hiro exclaims, starting to strangle Kyo once again.

Kyo groans and merely lifts up the rage-full Hiro, and sets him down beside him. Getting to his feet, Kyo sighs and looks around the room to find Yuki hiding a chuckle and Haru laughing with Momiji without a care in the world. **_Are they that dumb? I'm staring right at them… _**he says to himself through his safeguarded thoughts. Slowly, Kyo walks past Hiro and back to Tohru, and looks down at her. "I'm… going to go for a walk… See you later I guess…" he mumbles and turns just after he finishes his sentence and walks towards the front door of the house.

Without another word, he slides it open and exits, slamming it closed behind him, startling everyone in the house. Kyo walks down the all too familiar winding path with his hands in his pockets as deep as they could go. "Why is Akito singling me out…. What's she have against me other then the fact that I'm a 'monster.'?" He laughs softly at his own questioning, "I guess I just answered my own questions didn't I?" Kyo asks himself yet another question, only to already know the answer to it. Suddenly, he finds himself walking onto Shishou's property without a care about being yelled at or anything. What surprised him though, was the fact that the dojo was being built, and from the looks of it, it was going to be bigger then the one that was recently burnt down by none other then Akito and her devious little followers. Kyo smiles at the dojo proudly but then sighs remembering how many memories were burnt down with the original dojo. The burn on the wall in the kitchen. The room he used to sleep in. The area he and Kazuma-dono trained. "I hate Akito…" he mutters angrily under his breath as those many memories crossed his thoughts.

"As do I…" a proverbial voice speaks, coming from behind Kyo. "It hasn't been too long since I last saw you, Kyo…"

Kyo spins around and a bright smile appears on his face. "Shishou…" he whispers out of relief and as if sensing the question that was probably lodged in his throat, he says, "It didn't take me long to escape my confinement…" Kazuma nods noticeably and as he opens his mouth, Kyo continues on, "I'm sorry for cutting you off…but… you have to be careful. Akito… she's feeding lies to everyone. She told Momiji and Hiro that she killed me and they came to Shigure's house in hysterics," he groans and rubs his forehead, "and Hiro tried bashing my skull in…" he mutters in embarrassment.

Shishou laughs softly and places his hand on Kyo's head; he messes his hair up and then puts his hands at his hips. "You came here again just to say that?" he inquires, obviously as some sort of joke. A regular smile pops onto Kazuma's face and he tilts his head ever so slightly to the right. Only seconds later, he straightens up and looks at Kyo, his face more stern now. "What did you do while you were restrained by that building and Akito? Did she do anything to you?"

He blinks at his sensei and sighs a little. "She and Kureno beat me a couple times, usually at night when I was attempting to sleep, but… that stopped after Rin's death. I escaped a couple days after…" Kyo explains embarrassingly once more. He was uncomfortable discussing how they had tortured him while he was unaware and in complete darkness. It was as if he were personally telling Kazuma-dono that he hadn't learned anything and wasn't able to sense danger in his sleep as much as he could while awake. "Shishou… what does Akito have against me and… well … What's she using to get to all of us? Some kind of magical crap?" he exclaims, demanding answers as if he were positive his sensei knew the correct responses to all the questions in the world.

Kazuma-dono smiles as always and replies gently, "Akito has something against everyone. But, the most against you. See, Kyo, you love Tohru-kun and that's that right? Well she doesn't even want a -what's she call u- _monster_ leaving her side. I suppose she sees you as more power for her if she were to get you to stay at her side," then he shrugs. Kyo stares at him, hoping that he will answer the second question. He blinks and then says, "Ah..." just now remembering the other inquiry. "She must be using something that is fairly well-known if she's able to get near you…" Kazuma then sighs, not being able to come up with something that could even pose as a valid response.

Kyo grins under a shadow and glances at Shishou. "Your responses… are the equivalent of Shigure trying to be persuasive…"

He smiles at Kyo and pats him on the head as if he were a little child. "Go on inside the new dojo. Nothing'll fall on you or anything. The main structures done…" the same peaceful smile as always was practically glued to his face after he paused, "Kunimitsu and Kagura are just through the door. I think they'll be happy to see you and wonder how you're doing." Kazuma-dono places his hand on the side of Kyo's head and taps his cheek lightly. His 'son' groans and walks past him, looking at the ground in even more embarrassment then in previous minutes.

Trudging to the front door like he was slicing through a rain forest, Kyo stops at the door and gradually slides it open with care. As he walks in, he looks around to recognize the structure of the building as familiar.

Kagura walks up to him and smiles, blinking as if she were seeing things. "Kunimitsu!" She cries out loudly, almost in fright. He comes running and looks at her in concern then glances at Kyo to create the same reaction she formerly made. "Kunimitsu! A mirage! Its… it's a construction mirage of Kyo-kun!" she runs to the _mirage _and hugs it tightly out of excitement. "Mirage-san! I'm so happy you're pretending to be Kyo-kun! I feel so bad for him! HE NEVER CALLS!" She grabs the _mirage _by the arm and starts twirling it around rapidly in the air, slamming him against a few firm walls only to make a few droplets of dust drop to the ground, no harm to the structure.

Sighing a little, Kunimitsu walks to the fallen Kyo mirage and looks down at him. "Kagura-chan… don't you think if he were a mirage he wouldn't have been yelling when you were throwing him around. Did you even realize that you were able to grab and touch him? Isn't a mirage an illusion and not graspable?" he says with a smirk as he looks down at Kyo, even though he was really speaking to Kagura. He extends his hand to Kyo and pulls him by the arm until he was on his feet. "How've you been Kyo?" Kunimitsu asks, letting Kagura think about the many inquires he had asked her.

Kyo rubs his newly sore arm and looks at Kunimitsu. "I've been… just fine…" he mutters, not exactly answering truthfully. Glancing around carefully, Kyo sees the finished hallways -where the bedrooms were located- and walks towards it, the ground slightly squeaking at him as if to tell him its in pain and that it wants him off it's wooden back. Walking into the room he remembered was his, Kyo runs his fingers against the walls and he approaches a window just to stare out it with the sense of monotony. In truth, Kyo was taking to thought the times he had spent here, watching everyone else train or while he played with Kagura during their breaks. "You really…. built this back to the way we all remember…huh?" He asks, trying not to show his true love for the original dojo. He loved the memories that uncovered themselves there.

With a gentle and fun-loving smile, Kunimitsu replies cheerfully, but clearly drained, "Yep. Every inch of this place will look the same. We've spent enough time here to know what each inch looks like, y'know what I mean Kyo?" Kunimitsu laughs, it was obvious that Kyo didn't know what he meant at all. "Ah... haha… Well…" he pauses to reflect, more then likely it was really used to annoy Kyo a little more then he already was, "the day we finished the kitchen, Shishou went to cook and…" Kyo slaps his head even before Kunimitsu finishes his little tale. He couldn't help but laugh at Kyo's actions, yet he was able to continue on, "Well… as he was cooking… he burned the same spot he did a while ago. Y'know the one that scared our little Kyo…" Kunimitsu says teasingly, rubbing Kyo's head leaving his hair screwed up.

Grunting, Kyo shoves past Kunimitsu –who was still laughing- and walks out of the room he used to sleep in safely. Eventually he ends up in the kitchen and sits down at the new table and hand carved chairs with crests of the dojo on the legs and the back of the chair, so when you pull the chair out from being pushed in your finger runs across the crest.

Kazuma-dono and Kagura come in and sit with Kyo at the table. "Kyo-kun…" a gentle voice says softly. Kyo shutters hearing his name come from the being that had swung him around the dojo. "It is you! You shook when you heard me call you!" Kagura giggles and gets up from her chair and –peacefully- hugs him lovingly. "How did you get out? Did you escape? Did someone help you? If someone did, give me his or her names! I'm going to thank them till they die!" She shouts happily, hugging him tighter and tighter each time she realizes that he's free, which, was a lot.

He chokes out the words; "I think … you'll kill them with your joy before… you kill… them with thanks…" Kyo pulls her away from him and gasps for air. He rubs his throat and glares at Kagura. "I told you to stop hugging me!" he exclaims, jumping to his feet and slamming his hands onto the table. Her lips begin to quiver and she looks down after having Kyo shout at her. Kyo crosses his arms and turns his back on her, almost tripping over the chair. "Don't cry… Baby…" he mumbles out as much.

Kagura rubs her eyes and glares at Kyo. She gets up and tackles him, swinging her fists recklessly around, hitting him many more times then once.

Shishou smiles at this and relaxes at the table. "Ah… the sound of my possible predecessors growing… its… so familiar… it's quite annoying actually…" he whispers to himself and glances at them from the corner of his eyes. "Her parents will have my neck if they find out she attacked Kyo again and Tohru and Yuki will say something, probably not toward me." Kazuma-dono sighs and rubs his forehead. "I'm thinking far too much for a person who thinks they're relaxing," only moments after he said that, the phone rang making him jump to his feet and scurry to it to hurriedly pick it up and say, "Hello."

Kagura turns her head, her hands full of Kyo's hair as she sits on his stomach. On the other hand, Kyo was utterly knocked out and appeared to have little swirls around his eyes. While he was unconscious, Kagura listened to several 'Uh-huh's, 'Yeah, sure's and also, 'Why?'s. Yet, she had not one clue what they were talking about. "Why don't we have a cat or a dog present…" she whispers under her breath and then looks at Kyo. Her eyes grow large and she falls forward on top of him, hugging and cradling him. "Ohhh Kyo! Who did this to you!" She exclaims only to see Kazuma look at her and chuckle. "I'm so sorry Kyo-kun…" Kagura says after looking back at Kyo.

The phone is hung up in the background and Kagura turns around to see Shishou trying to sneak out of the kitchen unheard. "Where are you going Shishou?" she questions, getting off of Kyo and walking towards her long-time trainer.

He struggles to find the correct words and then sighs. "Look…to be totally honest, I have not one clue what's going on. But, Akito wants me to come over for something, and… as much as I hate her, I must concur," Kazuma-dono says, honesty flowing through his words.

Kagura sighs and whimpers, "B-but… We don't want Akito-san hurting you… like… you know… like she hurt I-I-I…" she stutters and bursts into tears after the memories of Rin living with her and her family return.

Kunimitsu comes into the kitchen and nods at Shishou, taking Kagura to the side and hugging her. Instantly she became a boar and wriggled around in his arms. "Calm down Kagura-chan. Look… stop crying. It's okay, alright? Isuzu-chan is in a better place right? And from there… she can watch over you and make sure the same thing doesn't happen to you," as he was saying this to calm her, Kazuma slipped out every possible door to reach the outside quietly, and left the property.

Regaining consciousness, Kyo pulls himself to his feet staggeringly and looks at Kagura in Kunimitsu's arms. "What happened?" He asks out of confusion.

"Sensei went out to see Akito-san and Kagura got upset because of…" he pauses and then whispers really softly, "Isuzu-chan's death…" Kunimitsu sighs and nods after saying that.

Kyo sighs as well and then remembers the first thing he said. _"Sensei went out to see Akito-san…" _**_No… Please… tell me he was kidding. I hate you Akito… if you do anything to him… I'll go there now… and kill you…

* * *

_**

**There's chapter 19 finally! And I sincerely apologize for not positing sooner. I haven't been able to get on the computer and I'm very sorry. I will try to get them typed and up quicker from now on though! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE R&R,lol.**


	20. The Mirror

**Chapter 20: The Mirror **

* * *

**I'd hate to say it but… Kan Yume is nearing its end. Though it has about 2-5 chapters left. I hope everyone continues to enjoy until we reach the end. A lot will probably happen within the closing chapters. Please continue to R&R,lol.**

* * *

As he is allowed entrance into the Sohma Estate, Kazuma-dono walks down the ever-winding path to the house were Akito has always taken up residence. How much he resented Akito now for locking Kyo up like he was some kind animal. It wasn't right at all. Nonetheless, he was practically forced to visit Akito and, as he thought about all of this, he began to wonder about why Akito had demanded his presence. It was all beginning to come together in the Dojo owner's mind. He had to be aware of his surroundings, from the moment he enters the house to the second he exits the Estate.

Gradually, and with the specified caution, Shishou steps up onto the short amount of stairs that lead up to the sliding front door. He knocks on the door gently so it doesn't tear and waits for some indication of response. He stares at the door for a moment and just before rapping at the door again, it slid open to reveal Kureno and a visibly sleeping Shigure on the couch just over his shoulder. "We've been waiting for you for quite some time, Kazuma-dono…" With a nod, Kureno sidesteps out of the way to permit his entry. Nothing was too clear yet.

Kazuma bows and stands up straight, and hesitantly, as he enters the house. He takes a seat around a table where a couple other chairs were set up. It was clearly obvious that their –the chairs- purpose served this small gathering and probably nothing more. "So… where is Akito-san?" the master of the dojo asks curiously, glancing around the living room in search of suspicious objects, only to see a little velvet pouch on a dresser and Shigure sleeping obliviously on the couch. No true clues were just lying about according to his first impression. Yet, not seeing Akito anywhere raised his distrust to a great height. "Wouldn't it be fitting for the one who invited me… to be present?" Shishou asks evidently.

Kureno sighs and sits down at a chair diagonal of Kazuma. He entwines his fingers, almost mockingly at Kazuma's polite posture. "She's getting dressed to be exact…" he explains, catching Shishou's eyes wondering around the room, occasionally stopping at the velvet pouch and Shigure's sleeping body. "What are you looking at?" Kureno asks, nearly demanding a response.

"Just browsing," Kazuma said calmly, returning his focus back to the former rooster, who was fairly annoyed at something or another. "How are you today?" he asks Kureno randomly, "And why is Shigure sleeping so dully in the living room? Did he come by earlier and just pass out from exhaustion or something?" Kazuma's questions came a little rapidly, but not near any type of accusing tone. Honestly, he wasn't even searching for answers when he was making inquires to Kureno; frankly, he was just attempting to make conversation while they awaited Akito's arrival. With a gentle sigh, Kazuma spots Kureno becoming more and more exasperated and not wanting to answer his various questions.

One of the doors down a nearby hallway slides open and out walks Akito who was dressed in a delicate red kimono. It was silky smooth and the darkened roses managed to create an illusive shimmer. At the ends of the sleeves was a darker red; like a puddle of blood. This instantly caught the eye of Kazuma and he watched as she carefully walked toward them to sit in the chair opposite of him. "So… Kazuma-dono… how have things been as of late?" She asks as if she knew what he was preparing to say. "I heard some terrible person destroyed your dojo. So sad to hear of such a thing…" the words rolled off her tongue with a sound that made Kazuma sense the distastefulness.

"I see you've heard of the incident," after pausing for a short time, Kazuma adds, "Everything has been just great. We're in the rebuilding process… it's turning out better then the original structure, though I do wish the old one was still standing tall…" a soft smile pierces through Akito's eyes and she returns a hollow, almost invisible, glare. He catches Kureno winking at Akito and then quickly hides it. Kazuma looks down and blinks, pulling his head back up to smile proudly. "How has…Kyo been? I trust you've been treating him with the proper respect." Kazuma states kindly, looking at Akito almost questioningly. "He… has been under your… watchful… eye, has he not?" his sentence was broken up into a couple words here and there but his eyes were being constantly diverted by the possible bloodstains on her kimono sleeves. She tugs at her sleeves after peaking down at them, Kureno hears an annoyed groan come from Akito, but Shishou just plainly ignores it as if it were something ordinary. "Ahem?" Kazuma clears his throat, waiting for Akito's many responses.

Akito allows a smirk to pass over her face. "Kazuma… I'm… glad to hear that you are in reconstruction, but sadly, that monster of a boy you once looked out for has escaped like a tiger from a zoo. I haven't exactly been given the chance to treat him with respect or have him under my watchful eye. Apparently he got loose a day ago and I have my… _suspicions._" She rolls up her sleeves and pulls herself to her feet, taking a glimpse around the room as if there was something there that wasn't supposed to be. Akito sighs silently, trying not to draw any unwanted attention to either Kureno or herself. "So….I-."

Kazuma cuts her off almost accidentally, "What happened to your kimono Akito-san?" curiosity rose from his voice like smoke from a fire. "Most people would treat a kimono of that stature with the complete importance. Yet… you seemed to have gotten an… unfriendly stain on both sleeves, and I do believe I see one at the cover point," he points feebly across the table at another dark red stain being covered by the part of the kimono that comes over to make it close. "I'm sorry… for taking such a great deal of notice in your clothing… but may I also question why Shigure is sleeping on the couch in the living room and why is there a small pouch on your dresser? I don't remember you getting so concerned about make up or looks…. maybe I just never paid attention. Is that right?" his questions came as calmly as ever, to show there was nothing he was too concerned about. In truth, though, he was becoming even more aware of his surroundings, but he was doing it slowly.

She blinks and then glances back at the dresser and then at Shigure. Akito sighs and looks back to Kazuma. "That oaf fell asleep… he was going to go home, clearly he didn't he get to his feet before dozing off." Akito folds her arms across her chest and glances down at Kazuma-dono. "You're certainly full of questions today…" her arms drop to her side as she gradually steps past the two of them and stops at the dresser. She slips her hand onto the counter and runs her fingers across it in a smooth, figure eight style pattern. Her hand drops gently upon the velvet pouch and she works the contents out of it before slipping it into a hidden pocket inside her sleeve. "Of course… it should be _I_… that is asking the questions, correct?" Akito passes on her own question as she turns around and leans against the large, mahogany colored dresser. "Are you possibly hiding something, Kazuma-dono?" She asks, walking towards her inelegantly.

To Kazuma, her skin was even paler then it was last time they had encountered each other. He blinks as he scans her kimono for any obvious changes, but nothing was clear to his naked eye. There were no such hints toward anything by briefly examining her kimono. "I have nothing to hide, Akito-san. I'm almost as open as a book, though there are things I prefer to keep to myself," Kazuma admitted, a smile nearly as pure as one that Tohru would produce was across his face. "But… your question was quite a defensive one, was it not?" He pulls himself to his feet to look across to meet Akito's eyes, though she was quite diminutive compared to his fairly large height.

Akito slightly grins and lets the mirror slip out from the pocket up her sleeve. "My dear Kazuma-dono… how long you have trained the members of the jyunishi. Don't you think we should pass it down to someone whose more the likely been waiting a great deal of time?"

Her question as well as her statement caught Shishou completely off-guard and his eyes quickly shot over to her hand where she was shuffling her fingers around in order to get a firm grip around something, a handle of some sort. His eyes narrow and as soon as they do, he was able to hear movement around the house. As he turned around to look, he felt a shock of pain rush from behind his kneecap and up his leg until he felt like collapsing. Instantly, he was grabbed from the back by Kureno, holding his arms lock tight, Shigure standing in front of him to meet Kazuma face to face. "What…" he struggles to break free as he glares at Shigure, "What're you three…planning to do now?" Kazuma's voice was now suddenly producing a little bit of anger, yet the lack of fury annoyed Akito greatly.

She smiles and walks around Kureno and Kazuma and looks at the dojo owner's face, her eyes narrowing greatly. "I just want to try out my new toy on you… it seemed to have worked when I borrowed it for its use on Rin…" Akito grins after speaking when seeing a sense of horror overcoming Shishou's normally calm expression. "I'm curiously on how it would work on you… maybe it'll be the same with you as it was with the late Isuzu Sohma." The mirror slips firmly into her grasp and she holds it up so the glass, reflecting part faces Kazuma's face. "This was the cause of her demise. A mere mirror. Did you know, I already know who the next horse of the jyunishi will be?" Akito laughs as the mirror's glass begins to glow, currently reflecting Shishou's horrified expression.

**XxX**

Kyo runs to the front gate of the Sohma Estate, stopping a good distance as to not be seen and notices the two guards from only a couple days ago. They were identical to what he could recall. "I doubt the doughboy and stick will let me through without checking with the 'oh wonderful Akito'." Kyo says to himself, mocking the words he believed they'd more then likely say. Slowly, he lifts his hand up and runs it through his hair out of aggravation as always. It had been an hour since the moment Shishou left the dojo's property and it caused his anxiety to rise by more then a few levels. He turns around and hurries to the side of the Estate were a large, unclimbable gate stood tall and firm. Kyo places his hands around two bars and he grips them tightly, permitting the microscopic ridges to lightly rub against his skin. "What am I going to do?" he whispers to himself so softly he himself could hardly hear.

An exuberant voice fills the air, coming towards him, though it wasn't loud enough for the guards at the front gate to hear, "Kyo! Ky-ohhhhh!" It was Momiji, prancing along ever so happily. He was clearly a million times less gloomy after he learned that Kyo was healthy and alive. "What're you doing Kyo? Do you like those metal bars?" He asks jokingly as he stops his bouncing around just beside him.

Kyo stares at him, then narrows his eyes slightly, "You gotta help me in…"

"No problem," the childish rabbit says cheerfully, "I know all of the secret ways in. Follow me!" he exclaims, prancing off toward the farther end of the side where there was a great deal of large trees that were significantly close together. The cat or rabbit form of a jyunishi would even have trouble getting through these small crevices and holes. Momiji points to some random corner and explains, "Go over there and push through a few bushes, you'll stumble right into my back yard, I'll follow you!" A nearly invisible, yet grateful smile slipped across Kyo's face as he pushed his way through the large, overgrown bushes.

**XxX**

Tohru falls asleep in the living room as the night slowly became itself. The sun set just minutes ago and despite her worry, her weariness had overcame her urge to stay awake and she dozed off.

_She was running in her dreams. Speeding away from a chasing shadow. Then she stopped dead and against her will she was forced to turn around to face the creature that was closing in on her. It was the true form of the vengeful spirit of the Cat. But something about it told her conscience that it wasn't Kyo, there was something about this one. He had somewhat more control of this form and was less concerned about being seen by a person who knows about the Sohma Curse. _

"_Who are you?" Tohru's voice in the dream echoed as she questioned the form that Akito regularly called a monster. "Are you okay? Is something wrong?" Her questions came at a more rapid pace but there was definitely no type of concern for herself hidden anywhere. Though she had only seen this form of Kyo twice, she felt like she was used to it, as if it were something she had seen all her life. "What's your name?" She approaches the vengeful spirit carefully, trying not to offend the unknown captivator of the monster-like spirit in anyway._

_The monster looks at Tohru with a sense of peacefulness and replies, "I'm the grandfather of Kazuma Sohma. The master of a dojo I believe he is," its voice was raspy and elderly. "I actually came to you in your dreams for one reason… to thank you from releasing me from that dreadful mirror. Unfortunately," he whispers, approaching Tohru a little more, "My grandson is in danger and the boy he honestly considers his son will soon be in danger as well…" Shishou's grandfather says gently, "I beg you to at least give some shot at helping them. They don't deserve to be put into a world where its always cold. A place where all you see on the other side is people enjoying themselves while you endure the torture of being stationary…"_

_Tohru nods a lot and says, "Of course!" as tears began to swell up in her eyes, "I'd never want something to happen to either of them…" those tears slowly drip down her cheeks now and become absorbed by her clothing. "Where are they?" Tohru asks gently, holding back the need to sob uncontrollably. _

"_The Sohma Estate. Akito's house…" he says as his form disappears into the darkness of her dream.

* * *

_

**There's the end of chapter 20! I finally got there and that leaves me with only a couple chapters to go. Yet... within those chapters all the previous ones have created a whole bunch of stuff that need to be done. So... the final few chapters will more then likely be packed with a lot of information. Please R&R!**


	21. The Mirror, Prt2

**Chapter 21: The Mirror, Prt. 2

* * *

**

**A few more chapters left as far as I can see. Not only is this chapter fairly long, but it also took me a very long time to type it being as I can hardly get near the computer anymore and because of school. Blah! I'm sorry to keep all of you waiting! Enjoy! R&R!

* * *

**

Tohru wakes up and rubs her eyes wearily and plunges herself off the couch only to spin around and bump abruptly into Yuki. Within seconds, he became a rat. "Ep! I'm so sorry Yuki!" She waves her arms around hoping that Yuki will validate her proposed apology. "I didn't mean to…. I didn't know … I'm so, so, so sorry Yuki-kun…" Tohru sighs and looks down at Yuki, gathering him up in her hands to hold him gently. After picking Yuki up, she grabs his clothes and sticks them under his feet, but he timed it perfectly and jumped as she did so. "Yuki-kun… we have to go to the Sohma Estate! Something bad is happening! Shishou-san and Kyo-kun are in danger! Say you'll help! Please! Please!" She was practically begging and the thing she was pleading to an animal that was nearly a hundredth her size.

The little rat smiles unnoticeably and nods, "Of course I'll help Honda-san…" his stomach rumbles and he jumps from the great height her hands were at, pulling his clothes with him. She gasps and watches him land into a puff of pink smoke. Tohru spins around and runs into a wall trying to shield her eyes. "Honda-san!" Yuki exclaims after changing into his clothes. He slaps his forehead and then turns her around. "You have another lump on your forehead …" he whispers and looks into her eyes as he moves her hair away from her eyes. "You should be more careful Honda-san. I don't like seeing you get hurt…" His voice was soft and hypnotizing to Tohru but she managed to keep a firm grasp on the task at hand.

Grabbing her hand, Yuki turns around and hurries to the front door with her just to see the door slide open to reveal the ominous Ox. "Clearly you've heard about what was going on in the Sohma Estate Tohru. Did he come to you in your dreams?" his eyebrow raises inquisitively as he asks that particular question. She nods gently and takes a step forward so that she's almost in front of Yuki. The man who contains the vengeful spirit of the Ox smiles and tilts his head ever so gradually to the left. "Can you safely believe me now? With honesty, can you believe me completely?" Both Yuki and Tohru stare at Haru in confusion. "Tohru-kun… you believe me now don't you? You're thinking about it right now and you confirmed it in your thoughts. You really are a Sohma and a very gifted one at that." Clearly she still had some inquires about this but she didn't say anything, she was going to leave the talking to Haru –who- was apparently ready to talk for the rest of the night if need be. "If you weren't a Sohma… you wouldn't have seen the same dream as me. It wouldn't have been possible. But… why did he come to me when it was you that shattered the mirror that he was contained in?" He smiles and advances towards Tohru. She looks at him curiously as if trying to remember one of her dreams. Mirrors. Suddenly, Tohru found herself understanding what he was talking about. "I think it should be only the two of us that go, Tohru-kun…" he whispers softly, trying to make it so that Yuki can't hear.

She looks at Haru then peeks at Yuki whose expression was full of pure worry. Of course he had to care about Kyo a little. Who else could he argue with? Slowly, Tohru sighs and looks at the wood floor, practically counting the curves and swirls on it. She knew what Haru was getting at, and he was probably right, but if they didn't take Yuki along he'd more then likely become more anxious and end up going to the Estate anyway. "Haru-kun… I think it'd be better if… the three of us went together. I don't want Yuki-kun to worry more then he should," her voice was equally as quiet as Haru's tone of voice was. The ox nods and then Yuki comes closer to the both of them, clearly confused by what was going on. She smiles falsely and looks at the both of them.

**XxX**

A vociferous scream fills the ears of everyone in the Sohma Estate. It was earsplitting and caught everyone off guard, even the security at the front entrance of the state looked around quickly to see what was going on. Within seconds, nearly the entire Estate went quiet; everyone heard the scream that was filled with agony. So painful it rang through their ears over and over again like a bee buzzing around their head. Some doors opened carefully to allow the owner of the homes to look around in search of the source where the screaming was emitting. The eyes wandered around, setting themselves on the farthest object they can see in perfect detail.

Kyo looks past a few large bushes with Momiji after hearing the excruciating scream. Anxiety quickly lets loose through his entire body, surging through his veins faster then his blood. He glances at Momiji and grabs him by the collar of his shirt. "You must know what direction that scream came from… your ears have to be more sensitive then mine! TELL ME NOW!" he shouts at him making the attention of everyone shift back and forth between thinking about the scream and wondering who was shouting. Momiji sighs, unharmed by Kyo's ruthless shouting. The rabbit understood why Kyo was getting like this and answered with an easy point to the right. "So… just leave this part and go all the way down. To where?" Cat-san asks, his eyes narrowing with impatience.

Momiji stares at Kyo with a saddened expression, almost like the one he bore when he believed that Kyo was dead. "To… Akito-san's house. That's where the scream was near… and I think it came from inside. That'd explain why it was muffled a little…" his voice was slightly raspy as he thought about what may have happened. "I'm going to stay here…. okay Kyo-kun?" Momiji says softly, looking at the ground as he bows and then hurries into the house.

Without saying 'good-bye' or 'thanks', Kyo walks away from Momiji's house carefully, stepping past twigs that would snap and give him away. He was hesitant to walk out from the rest of the trees and onto the roads in the Sohma Estate but he couldn't take his time any longer. Plus, darkness was falling quicker then usual, which would make it harder for him to be spotted. Passerby's would just think he was another person just walking by to take in the night air. His breaths were hard and easy to hear, especially for a person that walks past him. Kyo made sure he looked down whenever someone passed him by and quickened his pace the moment he didn't see anyone too close.

Kyo approaches the house where the scream was said to have come from. There was no one anywhere near it; the entire block was practically a ghost town all in its own. His steps were even more cautious, yet for some reason he was eager to bust into the house and release all the anger he was desperately keeping bottled up till he really needed to use it. Gradually, one foot after the other climbed the few steps up to the door. Kyo, impulsively, kicks his foot right through the sliding door and tears it apart without thinking twice. Within a minute, he was inside the house, looking around ready to tear more things to pieces. There was nothing inside the house at first glance, but upon scanning a second time, he saw drips and some puddles of blood on the ground just around his feet. His eyes grew wide, almost in shock at the sight. Visions of beaten bodies sped past his eyes and mind. First, he saw Shishou then he saw Tohru. He claps his hands to his face and yells into them, "STOP IT!" tears began to push at the back of his eyes, "STOP IT!" he screams once more, this time the sound of his voice was distraught. "AKITO GIVE THEM BACK!" Kyo was soon not even aware of what he was saying, he couldn't believe what was going on and actually thought he was watching Tohru and Shishou be beaten right in front of his eyes.

An insane type of laugh fills his ears. He looks around quickly, stumbling all of the place and then stops after bumping into Akito. Kyo drops his hands and stares at Akito, driven with utter rage. His arms were too weak; his own fright was keeping him from whipping his arm up and slamming it against her face as hard as he could. "I hate you… you…" something was forming in his eyes again, and he hated when that happened. **_She won't have the privilege of seeming them! No! Don't come out of my eyes! I don't want to see or hear her damn voice!_** Kyo swings his arm up with all his force and finds his arm being tightly grabbed, nails digging into his skin. "What?" he gasps, looking to the side of him. "Shi…gure…" his voice was expressing his shock even less then his face was showing it.

Shigure grins and tightens his grasp on Kyo's arm. Then, out of entirely nowhere, Kureno appears on the other side of him, grabbing his other arm and pulling them back as hard as he could. Shigure copied Kureno's sudden methods.

"AHHH!" Kyo screams in agony as he's brought to his knees from the pain. He looks up and glares at Akito, holding in the pain he so much wanted to let loose; he needed to yell. He glances past Akito and sees a body lying on the ground whose clothing appeared to be slightly stained in blood. "Shishou!" he exclaims despite the fact that that cry was the only chance he'll get to release the pain in his arms. Kureno and Shigure both grab the back of Kyo's head, tightly grasping his hair and tugging back making him gasp and then yell for a split second before feeling a quick, and painful thrust into his chest. Akito laughs and kneels down to Kyo who had to roll his eyes down a little to even see a little of Akito's face.

"Are you afraid of what may have happened to your Shishou? You think he may be dead, do you? Come on… admit it my dear monster." Akito mocks him and places her hand under his chin. "And your little princess is next. I'll tear her soul right from her body in front of you." She grins and slaps his cheek; the sound was like the crack of a whip. He yelps under his breath and feels his cheek begin to burn and then spots blood trickling out of the arm Shigure was holding and out of his cheek. "Miss. Honda will meet an unfortunate end, similar to that of your Shishou and Isuzu, only I'll be sure to make her's twice as painful…" a smirk curled across her mouth in a matter of a few seconds. After hearing her mention Tohru, Kyo yanks himself forward, getting his head out of her little 'henchmen's' grasp and bites her hand without even thinking. Akito stands up abruptly after Shigure and Kureno regain hold of Kyo. Blood begins to seep out of her hand gradually. Pain shoots through his chest and spreads through his body. Akito kicked him a second time.

"I hate you!" Kyo spat angrily trying to pull himself free once more. His struggling amounted to the equivalent of nothing. There was blood dripping down his arm slowly. His eyes locked onto her hand as she pulls out a handheld mirror from a well-hidden pocket, concealed by her sleeves. The glistening glass of the mirror blared into his eyes a couple times as she brought it up so that the glass part was facing him. "What're you gonna do with that? Make fun of my reflection," he shot, allowing himself to pose off a suppressed smirk. Akito continued to stare at the back of the mirror, her concentration too strong and focused to even hear Kyo's comment.

**XxX**

The mist of the night was beginning to form and gradually form tears from the sky. Tohru swore she was able to count each individual droplet of rain as it ever so gently splashed to the ground. She looks up at the darkening sky, it was nearly pitch black now and it'd only been an hour or so. Yuki and Haru were standing on either side of her as she stared off into the distance. "Um… wouldn't it be better if we got to the Sohma Estate…like…. within the next month? I'm pretty sure Kyo would greatly appreciate it…" Haru suggests with the type of tone that said 'I'm captain obvious'. Yuki plants his hand right in the back of Haru's head and hits him hard. If anything was more obvious than what Haru said it was that Yuki was mad about his indirect insult. "Sorry…" he groans a little, but truly apologetic towards the both of them, because, of course, Yuki was Haru's first 'true love' as he so often put it.

As they made their way across the most familiar road to their mind, Tohru looks across the street the entire time, longing to reach their set destination to find the one she cared about the most. **_Mom… I'm sorry if it may seem that I don't love you as much sometimes, but right now… at this moment… I want to save the other person I love. You know him don't you? Kyo-kun? Yeah… I love him…so much. I'm not as sad anymore, I can think about the both of you now, _**Tohru smiles as she spoke this to herself mentally, almost as if she were having an actual conversation with her mother. Of course Yuki and Haru stared at her a couple times, completely curious about what she was smiling about, but before they could say even a small word, they were at the other side of the road, nearly twenty feet from the entrance of the large Estate.

Tohru takes off, Haru and Yuki hurrying behind her, just barely catching up to her sides as she reached the gate. The guards were still standing their, trying to keep the compound as secure as they know. Haru grunts and walks up to them surely, practically strutting up to them. He stops just in front of the both of them and stares at the guards in annoyance. "We have a dinner. A few friends and myself were invited over to Momiji's house," the confidence in his voice made Yuki slap his forehead. **_Does he have any idea, at all, about how stupid he sounds? The guards aren't even dumb enough to fall for something that simple, _**Yuki mutters in his thoughts.

The guards pull back for a moment and the two of them huddle together in a small conference. After a couple seconds they walk back up to Haru and nod, pushing the gate open to allow their unquestioned entrance. Haru bows just before walking through, as does Tohru and Yuki when they follow. **_Buffoons… how much more clearheaded can those guards get. Maybe it's because they aren't eating…_** Yuki sighs as he forces himself to catch up to their suddenly quick pace. **_What?_** Yuki's thoughts become jumbled and he scarcely glances behind them. It was the guards, and as slow as they were scurrying, they were gaining on them.

Haru spots this and grabs Tohru's arm and yanks her to the side, pulling her down a hallway-sized road between two houses. "Come on!" Haru urges. Tohru's resistance to run too fast was clearly because she wasn't prepared to leave Yuki behind to be captured by those two malnutrition lookout men. So, Haru drags her down yet another alley and sits her down behind a large trash bin that was coated in all different colors and smells of grime and garbage. Tohru's clothing was wet on her behind now and she didn't know, nor want to know, what she had sat on. Though, she was positive that it was something unpleasant and really squishy. **_Please Yuki-kun…hurry up. Just a little longer you have to run. Don't run out of breath. Please! I don't want to lose either you or Kyo-kun! _**She felt as if she were shouting at herself through her thoughts. The echoing voice she produced in her mind was preparing itself to become even more annoying than it already is. She sighs and crawls on her hands and knees toward the opening of the hall. Haru had just run out of their hiding in search of Yuki. The anxiety that was building up was stronger than ever. She couldn't help receiving thoughts of what may have already happened to the three of them: Kyo, Yuki, and Haru. Tohru shakes her head and banishes such visions before they appear.

Suddenly, another bloodcurdling scream fills the air. This time it was filled with even more pain then the last one and somehow managed to pull off a sound that was nearly impossible. The reverberation you hear when someone is losing the very essence of his or her life. That's the scream you produce as your soul is ripped from your body and demotes you to a mere sack of blood and bones, with a layer of pale skin over it. Lifelessness. But then, the screaming silenced almost as quick as it set flight. Tohru looks around in fright and gets to her feet, stumbling for only a moment. She hurries out of the allies in the opposite direction, following the path that she thought led to the person who sounded as if he or she were bawling his or her eyes out.

She reaches the door to a familiar house. Never had she had such a dream this terrible, except the ones she's had as of late. Such horrendous occurrences where people's lives were taken by a shadowy figure in the night. This was the house she saw in her dreams whenever those things happened. Then she would see a glistening. Some kind of glass had been reflected off of something to be forced to reveal itself to her. It wasn't pleasant having to see nightmare after nightmare because that was all your mind was producing as you slept. She hadn't had a peaceful dream in a lengthy amount of time. In truth, Tohru has yet to get a good night's sleep in the last six months. She constantly tossed and turned as she saw the horrific things that took place at this house.

Without questioning her conscience, Tohru pulls herself up the steps and opens the door, walking in quietly….


	22. Kan Yume: The Dream World

**Chapter 22: Kan Yume- The Dream World

* * *

**

**Here is chapter 22, hope everyone enjoys. I updated quicker foreveryone!

* * *

**

His footsteps echoed as he walked around. Kazuma glances at the glassy walls and then pulls himself back, leg back slightly farther then it would normally be in a standing position. He cocks his left arm back and thrusts it forward as hard as he can. The glass instantly cracks and vibrates, sending the energy from his fist throughout the entire wall as if it were an earthquake. As Kazuma draws his hand back, the glass walls regenerate to a form that showed it as if it had never been broken. He blinks and presses his hand against the smooth surface of the wall. Looking down, Shishou sees the same glass the wall is made out of, embedded in the ground he was standing on. "Something tells me if I fall…I'll break something…" Kazuma says softly and then kneels down; the sensation of pain was still surging through every inch of his body, hardly taking up anytime stopping.

He heaves out a sigh and watches his own breath form into a glazy puff of ice and drop to the ground, shattering without even harming the glass floor. Kazuma's eyes explained more then enough about his amazement, he was wide eyed as he gazed upon the ice-styled floor watching it stitch itself back together. "What is this …" Kazuma mutters, looking around cautiously, his mind was playing tricks on him, he was able to see people from the Sohma family he knew were dead. Straining his eyes as he looks at the wall once more, Kazuma sees a figure walking towards him. A woman was walking elegantly in his direction, yet he didn't seem to believe that she existed and just rubbed his eyes, falling back a little to sit down. She continued to walk towards him and finally, the woman stopped and stared at him from a mere thirty feet away. For some odd reason though, Kazuma couldn't make out the face the person was bearing, yet something about the woman made her seem familiar to him.

The woman touches the wall and he stands up hesitantly. Kazuma couldn't believe it. The wall wasn't like a normal one, it was so transparent that it was obvious you can find a way around it, but unclear as to where the opening was. "Who're you?" Kazuma asks just before the girl lifts her head, her long, dark hair falling away from her eyes gently. "Rin…" he gasps lightly and stares at her in utter disbelief. "Akito… it's said that she killed you. But I can see you… Rin… tell me, where are we?" As he spoke, he noticed that the visible parts of her body were almost completely bruised or covered with small cuts and slices. "What happened to you?" Shishou asks finally, his hand pressing against the transparent wall.

Rin looks down again and whispers softly, "Apparently this is a world of disfigured dreams, or as most would call them: nightmares. The things you wish wouldn't happen are all brought here to make your life a living hell. A torture chamber! Do you understand why I look like this…. if it means escaping eternal pain… I'll kill myself!" She shouts, her head lifting up as if she were energetic. Kazuma-dono looks at her just scarcely. Just as he was about to open his mouth, Isuzu continued on, "I don't want to see Haru being killed in front of me each and every time I open my eyes. Don't you get it! I see him being beaten right behind you! But since it's my nightmare -meant for me- you can't see it even if you tried." She sighs lightly and looks at Kazuma more calmly now, "In truth, Kazuma-dono, we're already near death. It is only a matter of time before we are driven off the deep end. This white, clear room, is meant to make you go insane," Rin lifts her hand and slides it through her hair to keep it out of her eyes, " It reflects the horrible things that your mind produces and shows them to you. That's how we died in the first place! Akito captured our very will to live by forcing us to repeatedly watch someone we deeply care about…die… or watching yourself be killed brutally over…and over… and over again!" Pain was clearly filling her voice and she closed her eyes as fast as she could and dropped to her knees. She was mumbling something, but Kazuma was sure that she was having a hard time even understanding herself. "I hate you Akito! With all my dying heart! I hate you!" Those were the only things he could really comprehend after a while, and that was probably only because she kept repeating it constantly.

Kazuma-dono gets up and looks down at Rin who was still on the other side of the wall. How much pain was she really feeling? It was definitely clear that she wasn't going to allow anyone she knew –probably not even Haru- to see or to listen to how badly she felt sometimes, maybe even all the time. As fast as his body allowed, Kazuma ran to his left and kept one hand on the wall, awaiting the feeling of an opening. The icy-cold sensation that the wall gave carefully began to burn at his skin, making his entire body become colder and colder. He could see his breath even more now and it became globs of ice even quicker than it had when he regained consciousness. How heavily Kazuma was breathing. It was quite amazing that he was still alive after all the running he was doing. But finally, he slips to the side and hits the ground hard, gasping for air almost as if he had lost it all in the fall. He had at last reached a point where there was an opening between the ice. Kazuma crawls all the way back down to where Rin was in what felt like hours and drops himself beside her. In a raspy voice he asks, "Is there… anyone else here?" He took in as much oxygen as he could without allowing his throat to burn from taking in too much defrosting-ice air.

She looks at him for a moment and replies after a shortwhile, "Plenty of…" she clears her throat momentarily, "things are here …" Rin finishes, sounding quite calm for a person who has been in pain for over a month, even after death. "I don't know what some of them are…but I believe they're the vengeful spirits. The cat's true form roams around almost every day… restlessly…" Isuzu stands on her own and looks down at the weakened Kazuma. "Be careful not to take too many breathes, once you've taken enough to nearly paralyze you, your nightmares will begin to come… and quickly." She sighs and walks off alone, not even bothering to help Kazuma up or make sure he'll be safe for a little longer.

The dojo master pulls himself to his own feet and inhales deeply, **_This should solve the too many breathes problem for at least a little while, _**Kazuma assures himself, swallowing an ounce of air that was stored in his mouth every minute. **_Apparently it wont last too long…_ **he tries not to sigh about this and staggers along, looking for the vengeful spirits and other people who've been transported here through the mirror. Suddenly, Kazuma spots a yellow light in the distance, a bright one that illuminated almost everything. He runs towards it, taking breathes much more frequently now. **_I need to reach it. Maybe…it's a way out. I can warn Kyo not to be stupid and try to come here! _**By saying this to himself, he gained motivation and began running faster then his aging body would usually allow. But, because he was running so fast, he took even more deep inhalations then before.

The pieces of light began to fade as he got closer and closer. They were forming something, from bottom to top. A figure was gradually appearing as a shadow. Kazuma trips up and hits the ground. He glances up at the forming figure and his eyes grow larger in shock. **_Kyo?_** His mind mutters but he completely ignores it, knowing very well who it was. "Don't come Kyo! Get out of here! Don't give in to her!" Kazuma pulls himself back up and hurries over to him. By the time he reached him, Kyo's figure was completely formed, but the details weren't yet there. It was obvious who it was by just looking at the hair, which was the brightest part of the figure; clearly, it was trying to explain that his hair was orange or a color of some sort that isn't dark. Kazuma hears something, and then listens more closely, steping nearer to the figure that will soon be Kyo. Someone was screaming Kyo's name desperately… in tears. "Tohru-kun!" He gasps and puts his hands on the figure, pushing him back to where he came from. "Get back in there Kyo! You have to make sure Tohru is okay! Don't let her be harmed by Akito!" Kazuma urges, almost as desperately as the voice he was hearing.

**XxX- Akito's House**

Kyo opens his eyes and glances at Tohru who was standing at the front door, screaming his name. He looks back at Akito and thrusts his fist forth with whatever energy and strength he had left. The contact that's made forces Kyo to shout in pain, and fall back, rubbing his knuckles. Around him, Shigure and Kureno ran to the hallway and peek around it as if something bad was about to happen. A cracking sound fills the ears of everyone in the room; even Akito heard it and she didn't want to. "No!" Akito screams, looking at the glass part of the mirror, watching it crack all over the place, like a raging underwater earthquake forcing its way to the surface of the ocean.

Haru and Yuki run in and bump into Tohru, forcing them to transform into their respective jyunishi animals. Kyo looks at them quickly, yells, "You idiots", and then watches Tohru hit the floor from being bumped into. He slaps his forehead and hurries over to her, even though he was on his hands and knees. He puts his hand on her back and whispers, "Are you okay?" though his voice was full of aggravation. She nods weakly and looks at him, a gentle smile on her face as always. A poof is heard and Haru shuffles his clothes on quickly. He looks at Kyo and grins. "Not without me your not…" Kyo gets to his feet after saying that to Haru.

The ox laughs softly and looks at Akito, full of anticipation. Kyo gets up and looks at Akito with him. They both charge her and as Kyo begins to pull his arm back to punch Akito, he sees Haru slam against the ground out of the corner of his eye, blood spurting into the air for a split second. He stops and looks down beside him only to find a dagger in both of his arms. Kyo stares at him and his fist begins to shake, almost uncontrollably. He looks around and sees Kureno and Shigure both holding small sheathes that once held daggers. "You bastards!" Kyo shouts ruthlessly, running at them as fast as he can.

Out of nowhere, Yuki pulls Kyo out of the way and they both hit a wall, and duck from another dagger. Yuki was clothed and all and for some reason, his transformation didn't exactly last long. Now, it was both Kyo and Yuki standing, eager to go 2-on-1 vs. Akito. A grin forms across Kyo's face. "Mark my words you he-she… I'll make sure you feel as much pain as Haru, Rin, and Shishou felt combined. And if you lay a single finger on Tohru I'll personally make your life a living hell!" Kyo's voice was clearly filled with rage and his hands were tightly balling up into fists. Tohru blushes after hearing what Kyo said, and Yuki sighs on the inside, knowing that Kyo will always love Tohru more then him.

"Let's get this over with Kyo…"

"Sure thing…" Kyo responds almost in annoyance at Yuki's readiness. He kicks a chair into the air, catches it, and flings it as hard as he can at Shigure and Kureno. It makes direct contact with their heads knocks them unconscious. "How do you like your god damn banquet now!" he yells roughly, going towards Akito without even telling Yuki to go with him.

Blood slashes across the air and hits the wall in dots. A thump is heard and someone was lying on the ground. Yuki stood wide-eyed and Tohru had her eyes covered, praying to not see that it was Kyo on the floor.

* * *

**I updated quick this time! And guess what! Since its winter break, I'll be typing more often! w00t! Okay. I'm sorry that I ended this chapter with a half-cliffie but I need to make this story as long as I can for you. And how do you do that? Lol, Cliffies. Currently, I'm leaning towards 25 chapters, and hopefully… I'll end it without getting yelled at about ending a story with a cliffie. Maybe that'll happen again…maybe it wont. Ya never know! **


	23. Shattered

**Chapter 23: Shattered

* * *

**

**Sorry…again -.- for not updating quickly. Hopefully this chapter will make it up for everyone. Please R&R!

* * *

**

Akito stood grinning gladly, tapping her foot against Kyo's chest as he lie on the ground, completely motionless. There was blood all over his clothes and some drops of his own blood, blending into Akito's kimono. "I'm sorry…. that you didn't get to watch this happen, Honda…" Akito says almost weakly as she glances towards Tohru who was shivering. She too had some of Kyo's blood. It was spread across in drops all over her skirt. Tohru was having a hard time even looking at Kyo because of all the tears that were practically disfiguring her eyesight. All she really saw was a glimmer from some sort of shard. **_Wait… what's that…on ... on the floor? Glass? How… what? _**Tohru's mind hesitated before racing around in confusion. Akito stared at her then looked at the exact spot that was diverting Tohru's attention. "What…. no…" she gasps in shock. The pride in her voice was completely gone… it was obvious that she was shaken from the sight. "How did it break?" A piece of glass from the mirror was lying on the ground beside Kyo's fist. The single splinter of glass that was on the floor was –apparently- important. "I can't believe this!" She shouts incredulously. Quickly, Akito slams her foot on Kyo's hand and glares at him as if she were convinced that he was actually conscious. "How dare you break off a piece of the mirror! This thing means more then your life you damn monster!" Akito bellowed as loud as she could, digging her foot into his fist making it open and become cut by the shard.

Yuki glares at Akito and looks around, his body ready to move on even the shortest notice. "What can she be talking about…" he mutters under his breath as he stares at the piece of glass now. Suddenly, he finds himself concentrating on her hand that was holding tight to the mirror. He was able to instantly spot the area where there was a piece missing. Behind the glass slab, it was all black; it was clearly a smooth surface that the mirror's glass could easily lock on to and last for a great length of time. **_There… has to be more secrets that that mirror has kept from us. Ah! Come on… _**Yuki winces as if in pain, though it was actually from him contemplating so deeply on this matter.

The night was miserable enough, but to make all matters worse, it began to rain again after stopping for a few minutes. First, in packs of drizzle… but finally, it strengthened into a ferocious thunderstorm. With each flash of lightning and crack of thunder, Tohru would shake and close her eyes in fright. The wind was making the trees just outside whip their branches back and forth without a care about what might happen if a limb snapped off and hit something. Within seconds, a piece of a tree nearby, flung itself forcefully against one of the outer walls of Akito's home. Tohru struggled to drag herself to her feet, but upon doing so, she looked at Akito quickly and called weakly, "Please! Stop it! Leave Kyo-kun alone! He's injured…" even more tears flowed down her cheeks and splashed against the floor like the rain outside. Obviously, Akito was going to ignore Tohru's helpless pleading. Why would a person as cold hearted as Akito pay even the slightest attention to one so innocent and caring as Miss Tohru Honda? She had to keep trying nonetheless. Tohru wasn't prepared to give up, especially without doing everything she possibly can. "Please! Akito-san! Kyo-kun and Hatsuharu-kun have to be brought to the hospital. They're far too hurt to disobey you! Please!" again, she begged and begged, but without prevail. Lightning slammed itself against the dark sky once more and not even a half second passed as the thunder followed its leader. Tohru covered her eyes until the thunder stopped booming. She looks at Akito again, even more feeble then before, "I'm begging you Akito-san… let them leave. I…. I wont cause you any more trouble. If it means for them to be safe… I'll allow Hatori-san to erase my memory so that I wont have to cause neither you, nor the rest of the juunishi any further pain," Tohru stifled a sigh and looked at Akito, making full eye contact to show how truthful she was about what she said.

As the clouds begin to fill the remaining parts of the sky around the moon, Akito nods and grins. "As much of an airhead that you are… you know how to make the correct decisions…" Her foot removes itself from Kyo's hand allowing him to be plainly sprawled across the floor. "You know they will still remember you, don't you? Are you going to let them live knowing that you left them…" she was trying to get to Tohru as she did to Kana.

"Don't Miss. Honda!" Yuki calls abruptly, drawing both of their attentions to him. "Please! You can't have your memory erased just because of Akito's ruthlessness. We can still save them. You know those two, they'll live through everything!" Yuki's voice was almost hoarse as he said all this just because he was thinking about how much he would miss Tohru if she had forgotten them.

"_I'm going to beat you, damn rat!" Kyo yelled as he ran as quick as he could during the endurance run at school. _

_Yuki heaved forth, even with Kyo but then he watched the cat take the lead. "Ah! Ah! Ah!" he huffed as he continued to run in the cold weather. He was falling even farther behind now._

_Kyo keeps running and then…. fwoosh! "AH! WHAT!" he hits the ground headfirst and becomes dizzy. He rubs his forehead and yells furiously, "What the hell was that! I was beating that damn Yuki too!" Kyo flails around and then stops seeing Hatsuharu standing there with the string in his hand with Tohru panicking around them. Yuki sighs and watches Kyo get in Haru's face about how dangerous that was._

_Hatsuharu turns towards no one in particular and says , "Don't try this at home kids, only a person like Kyo could be fine after taking a fall like that."_

"_What're you talking about you idiot! You shouldn't do that to anyone! Especially me! I could've died!" He shouts roughly, severely annoyed at the fact that he was finally beating Yuki at something and his victory was cut short because of the ox. "God dammit!" Kyo rubs his nose, "AH! I'm bleeding!" Tohru hurries over to Kyo to make sure he's okay._

Yuki and Tohru laugh on the inside, remembering that time. It wasn't funny what happened at all, especially since that was the same day that Yuki caught a fever and had one of his asthma attacks. But the way Haru and Kyo acted that day, had proved what Yuki had said just moments ago to Tohru. If anyone was tougher then them, it was the two of them combined. She was now forced to rethink the things she said to Akito. Of course, she still wanted Kyo and Haru to be safe and not be harmed any further, but when she thought about it she adored the memories she had that were occupied by the members of the juunishi. How much she cherished those memories, they were probably the most dearest thing to her, other then her memories of her mother naturally.

Slowly, Akito takes a step back and takes the mirror in both hands to look at the side where the chip of glass was missing. "I can't believe it…they broke you. The lovely mirror that gave me so much strength… I could've gotten rid of any one that I wanted to be rid of. Any one that once stood in my way could have been gone. But no! That stupid cat! The worthless living thing destroyed my power!" Akito was practically sulking to herself; she could practically care less what could happen to any of them, even if it were Shigure or Kureno. Right now… she didn't care in the least.

Kyo's hand twitched inaudibly as Akito continued to go on and on about her precious little mirror. The rain was still pounding at the outer walls of the house as hard as ever and it was showing no signs of pulling up. Tohru couldn't think of anything else to do now that Yuki wasn't going to allow her to give herself up to Akito just to save Kyo and Haru from their dwindling lives. Kureno and Shigure peak out from behind the wall and see Akito. "Akito-san, is everything okay over there?" Shigure whispers, praying that Yuki and Tohru couldn't hear him at all. The juunishi's God nodded unnoticeably and glared at Tohru and Yuki again. She prepared herself to speak, but couldn't find the correct, heart-tearing words as she normally did. Shigure was concerned –surprisingly- about Haru who was still lying on the ground in pain, trying to take in whatever oxygen he could so that he'd be able to say something. It wasn't working and before long, Haru will pass out from lack of air or loss of blood. Both of those types of pain were working hand in hand on Haru making the tenderness that he felt much less relieving.

Their voices were all much weaker then they were from when they first entered Akito's home. It was clear to them that all the yelling and screaming had not only made their throats sore, but they were becoming weak mentally and physically just by being in Akito's presence. All the pain and suffering that was going on in that living room, all the aching and worrying, was all triggered by the sick minded Akito. How many people has she caused pain to in her lifetime? Certainly more then only Yuki, Kana, Hatori, Kisa, Rin, and now Shishou. She had probably brought many others down as well, but it was mostly the juunishi and Shishou, the man closest enough to Kyo to say that he is his father.

His eyes opened abruptly and his forced open hand was attempting to grip the floor with all his strength until his fingernails dug into a rug. There was a fierce wound across his chest, about five long, dragging slashes that sliced right through his shirt and directly to his skin. The blood was still gradually dripping from his wounds, but as Yuki would suspect, that wasn't going to stop Kyo from getting back up and continuing on. He pulled himself up to his feet -although he stumbled many times to do so- and stared at Akito ruthlessly. "What a cheap shot that was… though, I can fully expect that from someone like you with your superiority complex and all!" Kyo said mockingly as he tried to breathe as best as he could without looking at anyone so that his anxiety wouldn't rise.

At the sound of his voice, Tohru and Yuki locked their eyes on Kyo, as well as Akito who was now severely infuriated. "No one can speak to me like that! Especially someone as low down in society as yourself you monster! Calling me names! Mocking me? Such a poor choice for someone in your position… ha… or condition," her voice was full of anger until she grinned from seeing his various injuries. Haru was just barely opening his eyes when he heard Akito finish speaking and the pain was as bad as ever. Turning around after hearing him hardly move, Akito beams at Haru. The blood coming from his wounds allowed her the pleasure of watching him bleed to death.

"You'll have to knock that …," he chokes on his own words and then finishes, "into her place… by yourself Kyo… Not even me turning black could get me to stand up as almost unfazed as you…" Haru coughs as he attempts to yank the daggers out but they were dug into each shoulder so that he couldn't reach across to pull either of them out. After a couple more passing seconds, Haru was nearly unconscious, just holding on by a single thread.

Kyo sighs and finally passes a glance at Tohru and Yuki. **_Thank god… she's… okay. _**He was breathing even heavier then he was when he was lying on the floor. The aching had become three times as painful and just turning even a little made him feel as if he were on the verge of death. He retrieves his attention and replaces it back on to Akito who was surging with annoyance. Kyo swore that if he had ever thought someone was angrier then him, it was Akito right now. It was all directed on him too. **_Well… this sucks now doesn't it. That little he-she only has eyes for me and right now… she's visualizing how she'll tear me apart. Am I right? _**He laughs quietly at these thoughts and then smirks at Akito. "You're just itching to suck me into that little mirror." Clearly, Kyo was unaware that it was 'destroyed' as Akito so put it, though it was just missing a little piece of glass.

Just as Akito stomped towards Kyo, more glass dropped to the floor. "Give me back Rin!" Haru shouted loudly, watching more glass drop to the floor like ice. The larger pieces shattered and the smaller ones merely vanished as they cracked against the floor. All Akito had left in her hand was a black object that could pass as a ping-pong paddle; it was just a tad smaller though. Akito stumbled back in shock and tripped backwards over the small table, the mirror-paddle slipping out from between her fingers and dropping to the ground. A mesmerizing flash of light fills the room and it was quite an obvious that everyone could see it in the Sohma Estate because everyone started peering out their windows and pointing and shouting.

Two people dropped to the floor, then a couple others. Kyo stared at the figures on the floor and then he looked at Haru. A couple pieces of wood were in his hands that he chipped off the wall. **_So… that's what he threw… _**Kyo as well as Yuki and Tohru thought to themselves. His eyes closed after seeing the people and soon, a calm, relaxed expression replaced the one that was full of agony.

* * *

**There's chapter 23! I hope everyone enjoyed! **


	24. The Return

**Chapter 24: The Return

* * *

**

**I haven't posted a chapter in a while so I thought it'd be helpful to place a look back at the end of the last chapter. So… here you are!

* * *

**

_**Last time:**_

Just as Akito stomped towards Kyo, more glass dropped to the floor. "Give me back Rin!" Haru shouted loudly, watching more glass drop to the floor like ice. The larger pieces shattered and the smaller ones merely vanished as they cracked against the floor. All Akito had left in her hand was a black object that could pass as a ping-pong paddle; it was just a tad smaller though. Akito stumbled back in shock and tripped backwards over the small table, the mirror-paddle slipping out from between her fingers and dropping to the ground. A mesmerizing flash of light fills the room and it was quite an obvious that everyone could see it in the Sohma Estate because everyone started peering out their windows and pointing and shouting.

Two people dropped to the floor, then a couple others. Kyo stared at the figures on the floor and then he looked at Haru. A couple pieces of wood were in his hands that he chipped off the wall. **_So… that's what he threw… _**Kyo as well as Yuki and Tohru thought to themselves. His eyes closed after seeing the people and soon, a calm, relaxed expression replaced the one that was full of agony.

Everyone's eyes went directly to the two figures that looked most familiar. They gradually pulled themselves to their feet and look around, completely dumbfounded. It was clear that they were hardly able to figure out how they got back to the place they were plucked out from. The world they were capable of remembering with ease was almost impossible to recall completely.

* * *

**Now**

Rin and Kazuma inhale deeply, exhale simultaneously, and take several glances around the room they were in. It truly was the same house they last remembered being in. Isuzu instantly locks her eyes on Haru's –now- motionless body. Blood was still gently dripping from his wounds that were obviously not going to heal by Haru just lying around with his injured self against a dusty wall. Without a doubt, there was already an infection, but Rin was vowing on the inside to save him one way or another. She hurries over to him, ignoring Akito entirely, almost as if she weren't even there. Rin, though it was out of her nature to show her care this much, kneels down at Haru's side and takes a closer look at the wounds. She covers her mouth in shock, praying that he'll be okay until she at least reaches a hospital.

Merely seconds after Rin ran off to Haru across the room, Kazuma takes a deep breath as he carefully takes his steps towards Kyo. Nearly everyone in the room, as far as he could tell, had at least one scrap on their body, with the exception of Kyo and Haru who were pretty badly wounded. Shishou was sure to take a look back after every couple of steps to make sure Akito was coming at him. Kyo's face was soft, the pain he was feeling being forced into a cage for now. He was too happy to see the one who had been by his side all this time, through the years to make him stronger and stronger both mentally and physically. "It's so good to see you again Kyo… but, apparently the conditions aren't too well right now, are they?" A gentle smile pierced the seriousness on his face. Tohru giggles after covering her mouth with her hands to conceal any facial expressions that may embarrass Kyo. Kazuma grins a little and then turns towards Akito, and then peers at the other people who had followed them from the light. It was only a few other Sohmas, no one in the room knew any of them, and so the other figures were merely lower-class Sohmas' who didn't even mean enough to know about the Sohma curse.

Tohru stares at the ground for a moment and glances upward gradually at Akito, her words were soft and obviously not meant to do harm (as if they ever were), "Akito-san… please… don't fit anymore. Haru-kun needs to get to a hospital and your mirror…-." Before she could even finish her sentence, Kyo butts in strongly.

"Is fricken broken so give up!" it was unambiguous that Kyo couldn't wait to exit the house after rubbing a victory in Akito's face.

The anxiety was slowly swelling up. Akito couldn't hold it in any longer. How much she hated all of them right now. They were supposed to be the people that worship her as their god. But… what were they doing now? Destroying her! **_My own family, the ones that should be feasting with me and staying by my side are all falling in love with the wrong people. It should be I that is loved by them, not that wretched Honda girl. Not even other members of the Juunishi!_** For some reason or another, Akito stops her thinking and glares ruthlessly in Tohru's direction. "It really is your fault! You pathetic excuse for life! You're the one that has caused everything to go awry. You should have never been born at all! I hate you! Die!" Akito was yelling without even thinking, though she was falling in love with her words as each one spat out of her mouth and slapped Tohru across the cheek.

Kyo takes a step forward but Tohru grabs his arm, looking down at the ground. "Please… Kyo… don't do it. I'm…" she tries to stifle back a little sniffle but fails, "I'm fine… you don't have to get hurt for me. Akito's words… they may pierce my heart… but they don't tear it apart completely. So… I'll be fine…" she looks to the side, towards the direction of the front door and whispers, "Right mom…? I'll be fine… right?" Tohru blinks and looks at Kyo helplessly, shaking her head numerously times without even saying a word. Kyo was only able to stare at her, nothing more and nothing less. The cat wanted to help, but once again, he felt he was unable to even say something to cheer her up. Finally, she allows one single tear to drip from her eye. "I … would rather be harmed then to see you get hurt on my behalf, Kyo-kun…" she whispers, a soft smile on her face.

_**I don't think… Tohru knows that… she's pierced our hearts as well. She's made us realize that you could love someone and not have any fear about it. She's given us the ability to feel as if we were completely normal. Tohru's… brightened my day and I bet everyone else in the Zodiac has had his or her day lit upon by Tohru. Just … seeing her smile can make everything in the world… feel right. I don't think… there's many others like her… no… there is no one else like her, she's one of a kind, **_Yuki finally forces himself to stop his thoughts. His mind was racing to an extreme level.

Tohru looks around slowly and then glances at Rin who was trying to attend to Haru's severe wounds. It was such a sad thing to see. To come back after being taken away from the world you knew you remembered, but didn't see. She was only gone for a few days, five at the most, and she was having a hard time recalling where she really was. Her surroundings were extremely familiar but she didn't care at the moment, she was praying for Haru to be okay even though she's told him a million times about how she could careless about him. But of course, that was a fairly long time ago.

Slowly, Isuzu leans over Haru and whispers into his ear quietly, "_Kan yume_, my love…" her voice was almost inaudible, but Tohru was pretty sure she was able to read her lips. Rin runs her hand over Haru's forehead and through his hair, "You're so stupid… letting yourself get hurt like this. What kind of idiot gets hit by one dagger and then another." She sighs and pulls him up to his feet gradually. Akito's eyes some how manage to lock on to all of them at once, though it never has been actually possible.

At a slower then slow pace, Tohru walks to Akito. As the God –with a superiority complex- of the Zodiac, Akito felt that Tohru was trying to intimidate her… or threaten her. Anger was never a feeling that left her body; she has always had the feeling of hatred toward at least one person or more. On the other hand, however, Tohru is the complete, and total opposite. Continuing now, Tohru places her hand upon Akito's gently, and speaks with a delicate voice, " Akito-san… I don't dislike you… and I feel as if you resent me for just being around Kyo, Yuki, and the others… I have no intention of…" she pauses and decides to use the word that Akito utilizes most often, "stealing any of them from you. I swear to you that I wouldn't intentionally take any of them from you," how sweet Miss. Tohru was sounding as she spoke, it was almost as if she had been best friends with Akito all this time. But, that was all too false.

It was unclear, though, when Akito began to smile pleasantly at Tohru. Her face was depicting almost, a nurturing and calm expression. Suddenly –almost like a form of schizophrenia took control- Akito whips her hand and snaps it across Tohru's face. Tohru falls to her knees at Akito's feet, holding her hand over her cheek that was burning as badly as if she had her skin torn off. Her face was as red as a ripe tomato, except for the fact that her skin was slightly scraped now that her face was visible for the fact that she was now standing.

After seeing that happen, Kyo becomes enraged. Akito's recent actions weren't going to be left alone. Oh no, Kyo wasn't even close to allowing this to slide by as if nothing happened. **_Now she's made a bad fricken mistake. Akito will regret that she even laid a finger on her. She'll be sorry that she even had Tohru give her some sort of sympathy. _**The sound of Tohru being slapped roughly across the cheek echoed in Kyo's ears and gave him the fuel he needed to fight back in any way he possibly could. He cracks his knuckle, each finger individual, and then walks towards both Tohru and Akito with a stern, yet angry appearance to his face. The darkness that was consuming the house shrouds Kyo's entire body as he gets closer and closer.

Akito glares at Kyo as he approaches them even though she couldn't see his face. She wasn't even the least bit frightened, at least, that's the impression she gave off. Her eyes lock on the shadow that was getting nearer and nearer. The aura around that shadow was a raging, almost fiery red that was deeply angered. Akito was sure Kyo was infuriated by her actions, and still, she was almost eager, to mock him until he shatters into small little pieces just like her precious mirror.

Kyo closes his fists that were hanging at his side. He finally came out from the shade and his expression depicted an even angrier person then before. Tohru stares at Kyo, hopefully. She didn't want him to get hurt, nor cause a confrontation between him and Akito. Her prayers were merely that everyone would remain safe and not be harmed any further. Then, with the blink of an eye, Kyo unleashes his right fist and slings it at Akito's head as quick as he possibly can. The air broke around them and just as Kyo was about to hit his 'God' in the face, Tohru screams, "Please stop Kyo-kun!" her hands were clasped together, almost like she was praying and her eyes were closed as if it was just painful to talk, let alone scream. Kyo stops instantly and looks at Tohru, blinking once or twice. His eyes were saying, "But she hit you… and… she deserves it right back," but Tohru shakes her head. It was clear that she didn't even want Akito to be hurt either. His fist was hardly an inch from feeble-bodied Akito's face and finally, he drops it down, back to his side and stands still.

A weak smile appears on Tohru's face and she breathes a sigh of relief. **_I'm so happy I was able to stop Kyo from harming Akito… because, that also prevented Akito from further harming Kyo. Mom… I did do the correct thing, right? I know Kyo had some sort of good-hearted reasoning for trying to hit Akito, it's because she had hit me. But, I couldn't stand to see any more hitting each other. It hurts me and I'm not even the one a part of the fight… kind of funny, right mom?_**

**XxX**

Yuki exits the house, entering the downpour without a fear of being swept off his feet by a projectile. He was running down the road, slipping and sliding every so often. **_I have… to get to Hatori. He'll be able to help get Haru out of the building and to the hospital and help everyone else's wounds even Tohru's less severe one. _**Yuki trips on a large limb from a tree and almost falls but catches himself in time and keeps running to his destination. **_Come on! I gotta keep going! _**He was trying to give himself reason to continue on, but his condition was catching up with him very gradually.

Finally, he reaches the front door of Hatori's house. **_Why did he move this far from Akito's house? He's supposed to be a doctor for god's sake. _**Yuki drops himself against the door and falls through it since it was the paper material. Hatori looks at him and rubs the back of his head. "Isn't it raining outside, Yuki?" He nods and sees that he's drenched and covered with mud. "Ah… its even a little murky." Hatori smiles pleasantly and then recognizes a sense of urgency on Yuki's face.

**XxX**

Akito tauntingly raises her hand to hit Tohru and whenever Kyo gets primed for attacking, Tohru tells him not to and ends up getting hit may it be being punched or kicked. Kyo was eager to hit Akito just as many times as she had hit the one he loved. "Stop that Akito! Next time you hit her I wont care if she tells me to stop! I'll hit you so hard you'll be that snotty nosed brat that was disgusted by my true form. Or maybe I'll harm you even worse then you're harming Tohru. Possibly… I'll take my bracelet off and you'll have to relieve those memories with me. Smell and all. So… I dare you to lay a finger on even a strand of her hair," Kyo was full of seriousness as he says this. He was practically positive that Akito was threatened by that remark he made and wouldn't even try to mock him by pretending to hit her.

Quickly, Akito slices her hand across Tohru's cheek, in the same spot that she smacked earlier. Tohru lets out a weak cry, and falls to the side, but the pain was nothing compared to when she first saw the true form of the vengeful spirit. Oh-no, the way Kyo had whipped her around like a rag doll had severely injured her for more then two weeks. But she forgave him because of the love she felt for him on the inside. She crawls to her feet somehow and holds her cheek gently, looking from Kyo to Akito and back to Kyo.

He was full of fury and nothing was going to stop him. Kyo places his hand over his bracelet and slips his fingers under it. "You'll regret touching her Akito. Mark my words," he growls, tugging the Juzu beads up toward the tips of his fingers.

* * *

**There's chapter 24! I finally finished it. This chapter took forever and it isn't even that long, lol. I hope everyone enjoyed the second to last chapter. I've decided that Chapter Twenty-Five will be the final chapter. Be prepared for ANYTHING. Hahaha. **


	25. It All Comes Down To… Saviors

**Chapter 25: It All Comes Down To…. Saviors

* * *

**

**Here it is. I know your all like "Oh my god, finally!" yeah, I'm saying and thinking the same. Anywho, here's the long awaited ending to the sequel of Aikyou. Chapter 25 of Kan Yume! W00t!

* * *

**

**X…Last time…X**

Akito tauntingly raises her hand to hit Tohru and whenever Kyo gets primed for attacking, Tohru tells him not to and ends up getting hit may it be being punched or kicked. Kyo was eager to hit Akito just as many times as she had hit the one he loved. "Stop that Akito! Next time you hit her I wont care if she tells me to stop! I'll hit you so hard you'll be that snotty nosed brat that was disgusted by my true form. Or maybe I'll harm you even worse then you're harming Tohru. Possibly… I'll take my bracelet off and you'll have to relieve those memories with me. Smell and all. So… I dare you to lay a finger on even a strand of her hair," Kyo was full of seriousness as he says this. He was practically positive that Akito was threatened by that remark he made and wouldn't even try to mock him by pretending to hit her.

Quickly, Akito slices her hand across Tohru's cheek, in the same spot that she smacked earlier. Tohru lets out a weak cry, and falls to the side, but the pain was nothing compared to when she first saw the true form of the vengeful spirit. Oh-no, the way Kyo had whipped her around like a rag doll had severely injured her for more then two weeks. But she forgave him because of the love she felt for him on the inside. She crawls to her feet somehow and holds her cheek gently, looking from Kyo to Akito and back to Kyo.

He was full of fury and nothing was going to stop him. Kyo places his hand over his bracelet and slips his fingers under it. "You'll regret touching her Akito. Mark my words," he growls, tugging the Juzu beads up toward the tips of his fingers.

**X…Now…X**

Yuki and Hatori began running down the street within moments after the rat's explanation. It was beginning to seem all too chaotic these days in the Sohma Estate. **_There's something happening everyday and… each time… Akito's been a part of… or behind it. It's starting to become quite a case or irony. I can't remember a day were the God or leader of something was the one causing the uproar…_** Hatori lets out a deep, uncontrollable sigh and continues his chase after Yuki who was running as frantically as ever. "Yuki! Can you at least tell me what Akito's doing!" the Sohma's doctor called after him but in feeble hope, for Yuki wasn't going to answer any questions until they reached the destination they were needed at.

"Just keep following me and you'll find out soon enough Ha-san!" was all Yuki said through his breathless mouth. It was only a matter of time before his throat began to act up and cause an infection due to his condition. If he kept going at this rate… he'll have an attack and collapse into the sloshing muck that had overcome the ground conditions. Each time his foot or Hatori's foot hit the ground, a gash of water would spurt all around or just plain get on their pant's legs. Nonetheless, they kept their legs moving until they stopped at the front door of Akito's abode.

Yuki, leans forward, and takes deep, raspy gasps for air. Hatori gently pats him on the back and sits him down on the porch. "Okay Yuki…there… now just sit still and keep breathing. I'm sure everything will be fine by the time I enter the house." He sighs and slides the door open gently, just so that it wouldn't drop off the hinges, and walks in. Looking around, Hatori spots the blood on the ground first –since he had stepped in it- then sees Kyo gripping his bracelet. Hatori shakes his head and refocuses on Akito who is grinning ruthlessly at the pain Tohru's in and Kyo's lack of intelligent decisions. Before he could reach Kyo to stop him from pulling off the Juzu beads, it was too late.

The cat lets out a howling shout of pain as his body shifts and transforms into that hideous being. His arms bent back and then forward to form the animal like arm. Finally, both arms were altered completely followed by his legs, which had basically imitated the alteration of his arms. A puff of smoke fills the air, disgusting and nauseating. As it gradually clears, the large beast was dropping the Juzu beads to the ground and sliding them toward Kazuma. Kyo roars loudly and glances at Akito, baring his teeth with interest. **_I'll tear that thing apart… I swear it. She'll learn never to mess with me._**

That distinctive smell was enough to make even the healthiest person vomit. Tohru impulsively covers her nose, attempting to ignore the pain that was surging through her flesh. **_Kyo… please stop. I'm fine. You needn't do this._** But she couldn't open her mouth to say those words. It was hard enough to even breath in the stench, let alone speak, which would've allowed her body to consume it. She falls over and curls into a loose ball so that she can keep some of the clean air within her. As slim a chance as that was, she tried just because she felt her face turning a deep, crimson read from the lack of air.

Kyo lifts his arm up and slashes at Akito, hitting her across the face with his massive claws. Her skin tore open instantly and she staggered forth, using all of her energy to tightly grip the paddle and stab into in to his vengeful spirit's true form. In and out, she did it five more times in a variety of spots. Kyo screams in pain and knocks Akito away, through the wall of the house. He falls backwards, transforming back to his human self, deep; blood-pouring gashes were all over his chest, one just barely missing his heart. He rolls over, shouting and howling in pain, blood dripping over his pale skin.

Kazuma stares at Kyo in horrific shock. Tohru opens her eyes and realizes that Akito was gone. The second she set her eyes on Kyo, however, horror ran through her, pumping through her veins as fast as her quickly flowing blood. She stumbles to her feet weakly and drops to her knees at Kyo's side. "Oh no! Oh my god. Please Kyo, say you're okay! Please!"

Hatori rushes to their side, pulling Kyo away from Tohru gently and holding him in his arms. "Kazuma! Get Haru. Yuki, Tohru, come with us. We're going to the hospital." He looks around and glares at Shigure who was crawling into another room, "Shigure… go help your puppet master." Hatori hurries out of the house, the others running behind them as they charge through the rain.

How familiar this hospital was. And it was again, because of Akito that they were even going near it. The first time, it was Kagura. Now, it was Kyo and Haru. These were the two that usually attempted to keep things in balance, though it was mostly Yuki who controlled it all. Blood was mixing with the rain and puddles as well as Kazuma and Hatori's clothing. They were sopping wet with moisture of both bloodshed and the water that falls ever so ruthlessly from the clouds.

Holding in her tears, Tohru hurries to the door of the hospital, and runs in. Yuki holds it open for the others so they can gain easy passage. Rin was walking in solemnly as if someone had already died. Tohru screams, at the top of her lungs the most clichéd line, "Help!" Instantly, doctors and nurses ran around, getting stretchers and bandages; finding available rooms and bedding. It was hectic until finally, Haru and Kyo were lying on their hospital beds.

Kyo was grimacing in his pain and Haru sat their, still unconscious with Rin at his bedside. She had a firm grasp on Haru's icy cold hands and soon enough even the warmth of her hands couldn't withstand the cold of his. Tohru imitates Rin's actions by grabbing Kyo's hand. **_Why couldn't you be unconscious too Kyo? If… if you were you wouldn't be in pain now. You're…. you're just so selfish! _**Tears came down her cheeks as she though this. She wasn't blaming his being awake on him, in truth she was only trying to get out her frustration. The doctors would soon begin the process off cleaning out their wounds then stitching them up. They were even refusing to numb it for them, only because it'd take too long and be a big risk.

Stroking his hand gently, Tohru smiles at his face. He was trying to calm himself down, probably thinking about how everything will be just fine after he was healthy and fixed up again. **_That must be what's going through his mind._** His mouth opens and as she goes to put a finger to his lips, he grabs her by the wrist weakly. "Tohru… hug me…" was all he said. His voice was weak and he was having a hard time speaking without screaming out in pain.

"But… Kyo… you'll…" she lowers her voice and says, "transform. Then they'll all see. I can't, I'm sor-."

"Just do it. Please…" Kyo demands, though there was a sense of serenity in his voice. Whatever anger he directs at her will be due to his injuries and the pain he was in, so no matter what, Tohru was prepared to forgive even his harshest comments. Though, his most recent one was more of a request.

Tohru nods and leans forward; hugs him gently so he doesn't have any further pain from it. She closes her eyes and a second passes. Then another. Then a minute. Two minutes…three minutes…four minutes…five minutes… Tohru opens her eyes and stares into his from the position she remained in. "Kyo… your… you didn't… How do you feel?" She was in shock. Her words wouldn't piece themselves together the way she was asking them to. Even Rin, Kazuma, Hatori, and Yuki were flat out shocked. They rub their eyes as if they couldn't believe what they were seeing. They almost became angry when they saw Tohru making the motion to hug him, for when nothing happened, not only were they relieved but… confused.

The doctors enter the room and request their leave. Obeying reluctantly, Tohru and Rin follow their commands, as do the others. Hours pass while they sit quietly in the waiting room, impatience raging through their body and minds. They had not one clue what was going on behind those doors, what they were doing that was invisible to them. Hatori was the only one they allowed in from time to time and each time he came out and their hopeful gazes met his, he would whisper, "They are still doing their job."

Hatori goes in one more time, twenty minutes after his previous entrance. Everyone in the pending room was full of curiosity for he was in the room much longer this time then the others.

Finally, he comes back out of the emergency room –that's where Haru and Kyo were located- his face was grave; Tohru and Isuzu instantaneously became filled with anxiety. They were as nervous a bird whose nest was being attacked by a large alligator. Hatori sighs, not particularly fond of being the one who had to break the news. "Isuzu-chan… they… well. Haru's no longer amongst the living… I'm sorry."

Rin's eyes grew wide as if she was the one that had been stabbed. She felt horrible and unwilling to believe that Haru –the one she loved- was gone forever. **_No… he's not gone. I was dead once right? I was gone. But… I'm here again. There's… there has to be some way. No… why… why did this happen? He saved me, he brought me back! I can't live on without him! No! NO! _**Isuzu roughly charges into the E.R and slams her hand against the door as she closes it behind her. "HARU!" she shouts loudly, tears flowing down her face without care. She drops herself beside his bed and rests her head on his chest. His non-breathing chest. **_He lost… all that blood… because he cared for me. _**His hand was closed, just as it was when she went over to him at Akito's house to comfort him. His other hand was open for that was the one he had thrown the chipped piece of the wall with. She snugly places her fingers under his and pries open his hand tenderly. Within his hand was a small locket. Her name on the lid of it. Pulling it from his hand, she presses a button. It opens with ease. Inside that locket were a frame of a heart and a picture of them together that was taken by Momiji.

Isuzu shakes her head. She wasn't going to believe the horrible truth. He came all that way. To free her, to show her his love and… he had died just trying. She cries into his bloodstained shirt and is pulled away by the doctors because they feared she'd have a breakdown. Rin pulls away from them and just stands there. On a gold chain she was wearing, she fits the locket on it and pushes the necklace against her neck as she re-clasps the back of the chain at the nape of her neck. "Please… take care of him. I don't care if he's dead… treat him as if he was in devastating pain. Don't roughly toss him somewhere as if he were just any old corpse." She tried to act the way that everyone knew she was capable of: with an attitude. Though, it wasn't a true attitude, only a false one- a cover up. "Do you understand me!" She shouts angrily, tears dripping down her soft cheeks.

She runs out of the room and out of the hospital. Yuki chases after her to make sure she is okay. Hatori sighs sadly followed by another sigh from Kazuma.

Tohru looks at the open door of the E.R. Hatori had told her that Kyo's body had been finished up with for at least an hour and a half now. So, she picks herself up and slowly puts one from in front of the other, walking into the room. She stops by his bed and is surprised to see Kyo pushing himself to sit up to look at her weakly. His eyes slowly wander the room as if to make sure he was positive of his location. He stretches his arm forward and ignores the pain he knew he was feeling all over his body even though he was stitched up and bandaged. He drops his hand to the bed and grins faintly at Tohru to try to reassure her sadness.

"Kyo-kun…" her sweet voice rings through Kyo's ears and he looks straight into her eyes. "You're… okay right?" she asks sounding incredibly worried. He nods as if he were in shock. "You heard about Haru right?" She whispers, sadness replacing her relief. (She was only relieved because she found out Kyo was okay). "How are you feeling?" another question finally drips from her lips.

He sighs, trying to sound annoyed. "I'm fine and yeah I heard about Haru. It sucks…and God, you're as worrisome as ever." Kyo groans and rubs his left arm. Some of his injuries were just bruises, but they were really massive and old, probably from the time he had originally entered the house. "I can't believe he's gone, ya know? I mean… it was him that had broken the curse in the first place. He didn't even get the chance to enjoy that or allow anyone to thank him." Kyo's remorse was as true as the blue colors of the ocean. It was untouched by his well-known sarcasm and ignorance.

Tohru sighs and looks at Kyo. "Akito… isn't around anymore either. She just… disappeared according to Shigure. Vanished like she never existed. I feel so bad. Everyone got hurt, all of us in one way or another felt pain, though some more then others," her voice was delicate and sorrowful. "I can't wait until you can leave this bed and start walking around again."

Nervously, Kyo whispers, "I can't wait either." Tohru was caught by surprise; normally he'd be irritated by her amount of care or worry. But, now he was sounding almost exactly like her. "Tohru…" his voice was soft and aching from his wounds, "I was wondering… after I get out of here. Would you… ya know… consider…" he stops abruptly as he sees Kazuma and Hatori peeking in curiously. "GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE YOU INCONSIDERATE REJECTS!" Kyo yells loudly then stops and wraps his arms around his chest and mumbles under his breath. In fright, they leave and let them bed. Tohru giggles and covers her mouth. She stops and waits patiently for Kyo to continue. "Tohru… god dammit, I want you to be my wife! Okay? DOES EVERYONE OUTSIDE THE DOOR HEAR THAT?" He bellowed cantankerously.

A ringing voice is heard outside the room. "Kyo's got the hots for Tohru! I knew it! I said it a while ago when we were going to go to the spa! I said it! I knew this would happen." Momiji was prancing around proclaiming his prediction to everyone he passed, even unacquainted strangers.

Tohru stares at Kyo in shock. "Do you… do you mean that Kyo?" She presses his hand to his forehead as if to be sure he doesn't have a fever. He pushes her hand off his head and nods in annoyance. "We… are old enough… and I finished school like I promised my mother." A bright smile crosses her face and she hugs Kyo tightly, "Of course Kyo-kun! Of course." Tears of joy gently dripped from her eyes against his skin and he weakly returns her embrace.

**XxX- The Future -XxX**

_Within a year, Kyo and Tohru became married and both of them got entrance into the same college. Yuki went with them and the three of them continued being friends. Rin began to live in Haru's house to continue his life in her mind and also go on with her life, as she knows he would have wanted her to. Shigure and Hatori were no longer friends and spoke never again. The young (former) members of the Zodiac were now able to go to school and everything else, as well as play games with friends without a fear. And it continued just like that. With every Sohma born, there was no more curse and Kyo was no longer neglected by the rest of the Sohma's, though he still lived outside the Estate. Everything was the way it used to be before the first God of the Sohmas ever put the curse into affect.

* * *

_

**There it is. And there it ends. Chapter 25, the final chapter of Kan Yume is over. Thank you all. I'm so happy I finally finished this chapter. If anyone has any further questions or requests ask me in a review or email me. I'd be happy to answer anything you would like to ask. Plus, I'm looking for another fanfic to type soooo I need someone to give me an idea on what anime to write about (hopefully I've seen it or read it XD).**

**Thanks, again to my awesome reviewers, I doubt I would've completed it if not for you! **

**Yours truly, Kyo-K40-Sohma**


End file.
